(Washington) Joe Biden, on the defensive at home, announced Tuesday the sending of anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraine, on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Washington.
“Russia will not win,” the American president declared forcefully in a highly anticipated speech, following questions about his ability to defend the colours of the Democratic camp, four months before the presidential election.
He was participating with the leaders, or their representatives, of the 32 NATO countries in a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance.
In a joint statement, several NATO countries, including the United States, confirmed the dispatch of a total of five of these systems, including four Patriot batteries. This American-designed surface-to-air missile system is particularly effective in intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
PHOTO YVES HERMAN, REUTERS
A journalist casts a shadow next to the logos on the day of the 75th anniversary celebratione NATO anniversary.
The fifth air defense system announced Tuesday is a battery of SAMP/T, Franco-Italian missile systems, which Italy had already said it was ready to deliver.
Only a Patriot battery, the one donated by the United States, represents a novelty compared to what Kyiv has been promised in recent weeks, after repeated appeals from its president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The latter, who arrived in Washington on Tuesday, thanked the allies for their “strong declaration” of support. In a speech in the evening, he also called on them, and particularly the United States, not to wait for the result of the American elections in November to affirm their support for his country at war.
“It is time to come out of the shadows, make strong decisions, work, act and not wait for November or any other month,” he said.
F-16
Ukraine was the target of deadly Russian strikes on Monday, which left 43 dead and some 200 injured, Volodymyr Zelensky announced in his speech in Washington. They notably devastated the country’s largest children’s hospital.
PHOTO KEN CEDENO, REUTERS
A view of American flags and the United States Capitol ahead of the NATO summits.
The Allies also pledged to provide additional Patriot or equivalent systems “this year,” and “dozens” of tactical air defense systems “in the coming months.”
“Today is Washington,” Zelensky said earlier in his daily video address. “We are fighting for more air defenses” and “more F-16 jets,” which are expected to be delivered to Ukraine soon, he added.
The United States will also reschedule the delivery of missile batteries, so that Kyiv can have “hundreds of additional surface-to-air interceptors throughout the next year,” according to a joint statement from the United States, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany, Italy and Ukraine.
Respite
Russian strikes have killed dozens of people and already destroyed half of Ukraine’s energy capacity.
As the guest of honor at the anniversary ceremony at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949, Joe Biden was able to enjoy a moment of respite in an election campaign that is becoming more and more of a Stations of the Cross every day.
PHOTO SAUL LOEB, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and US President Joe Biden
Calls are growing, including within his own camp, for the 81-year-old president to give up running again after his disastrous debate at the end of June against Donald Trump.
The 78-year-old Republican billionaire made his comment on his Truth Social platform: without him, he wrote, “there probably wouldn’t be NATO now.” Thus giving him credit for the commitments made by the Europeans to spend more on their defense.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recalled in his speech that the Alliance was not a “given right” but the “result of deliberate choices and difficult decisions”. The same goes for support for Ukraine, which requires “costs and risks”.
Candidacy
“There are no cost-free options with an aggressive Russia as a neighbor,” he said, recalling that the “highest cost and the greatest risk would be if Russia wins in Ukraine.”
On the occasion of this summit, Kyiv also hopes, but without illusions, that its candidacy to join the Atlantic Alliance will advance in Washington.
Ukraine wants to receive a formal invitation to this effect, but several countries, including the United States, are opposed to it.
On the other hand, it should obtain that this promise of adhesion is “irreversible”, according to a diplomat, specifying however that certain conditions would be added.
Russia said on Tuesday that it would follow with “maximum attention” this summit marking the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance.