NATO members announced Wednesday that they had begun transferring F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as their leaders gathered in Washington to navigate political uncertainty surrounding the historic summit.
The planes, from Denmark and the Netherlands, “will fly over Ukraine this summer to ensure that Ukraine can continue to effectively defend itself against Russian aggression,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
The White House, for its part, specified that Belgium and Norway had committed to providing other aircraft.
After celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Western military alliance in grand style the previous evening, the leaders of the alliance states are due to meet in the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s top political body, to discuss the terms of this increased support for Ukraine, which is facing a growing barrage of Russian missiles.
US President Joe Biden confirmed on Tuesday evening that the allies would also provide Ukraine with a total of five additional air defense systems, including four Patriot batteries, surface-to-air missiles particularly effective in intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
The systems are being loudly called for by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is also in Washington. He thanked allies on Tuesday for their “strong statement” of support, urging them not to let their guard down as they await the results of the November elections in the United States.
Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy are also expected to contribute.
“It is time to come out of the shadows, to make strong decisions, to work, to act and not to wait for November or any other month,” the Ukrainian president said in a speech to the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington on Tuesday.
“Russia will not win,” Joe Biden, 81, strongly promised in a highly anticipated speech after questions about his ability to defend the colors of the Democratic camp, four months before the American presidential election.
Russia has recently stepped up its missile strikes against Ukraine, including devastating the country’s largest children’s hospital in kyiv. Russian missiles have also destroyed half of Ukraine’s electricity-generating capacity.
The Allies also pledged to provide additional Patriot or equivalent missiles “this year” and “dozens” of tactical air defense systems “in the coming months,” according to the US president.
Trump’s Shadow
More than two years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this support is “not a given,” outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was keen to point out on Tuesday evening during an anniversary ceremony for the Atlantic Alliance. The ceremony took place in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where the Atlantic Treaty founding the organization of the same name was signed 75 years ago.
“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.”
The heads of state and government arrived in the American capital on Tuesday, with the exception of French President Emmanuel Macron, who is not expected until Wednesday. He will try to reassert his place on the international stage, while his partners are worried about a weakening of France after the legislative elections.
The Washington summit comes amid political uncertainty in the United States, where President Biden faces challenges in quelling a rebellion by Democratic lawmakers urging him to drop out of the race for a second term in November against Donald Trump.
The shadow of the former Republican president, who has often been critical of NATO and some of whose remarks have seemed to undermine the principle of mutual assistance provided for in Article 5 of the treaty, hangs over the summit.
“I expect that regardless of the outcome of the election, the United States will remain a strong and loyal NATO ally,” Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
Donald Trump did not hold back from commenting on the summit, assuring on Tuesday that without it, “there probably would be no NATO now.” He thus credited the commitments made by the Europeans to spend more on their defense.
In addition to a North Atlantic Council, leaders are due to attend a dinner in the evening, with foreign and defence ministers also attending.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who holds the EU presidency, will have the opportunity to report on his trips to Moscow and Beijing, which were very poorly received, particularly in Washington.
The Ukrainian president is due to meet with elected officials before attending a NATO-Ukraine Council on Thursday, the last day of the summit. Ukraine has requested a formal invitation to join NATO, but will have to wait due to opposition from several countries, including the United States.
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.