(Washington) F-16 planes, anti-aircraft defense batteries, an “irreversible trajectory” towards membership: NATO countries on Wednesday multiplied their pledges of increased support for Ukraine, on the first day of a historic summit marked by political uncertainties, particularly in the United States.
“Russia is on a war footing,” with help from China, North Korea and Iran for its arms industry, warned US President Joe Biden, during this summit marking the 75th anniversary of the Alliance.
In this regard, NATO leaders expressed their “deep concerns” over the rapprochement between Russia and China, and denounced Beijing’s support for the Russian war effort in Ukraine, according to a final statement.
“We cannot afford to let the Alliance fall behind,” added Joe Biden in a strong voice, after questions about his state of health and his ability to defend the colors of the Democratic camp, four months before the American presidential election.
Even before the official opening of their meeting, several NATO countries announced that they had begun transferring F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
These aircraft, coming from Denmark and the Netherlands, “will fly in Ukrainian skies this summer,” assured US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Anti-aircraft defense
The White House added that Belgium and Norway had committed to providing additional aircraft to Ukraine, which is facing an increasing barrage of Russian missiles against its cities and infrastructure.
After having celebrated the 75th in style the night beforee On the anniversary of the Western military alliance, the leaders met at the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s top political body, before heading to the White House for a gala dinner.
PHOTO KEN CEDENO, REUTERS
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with his wife Ingrid Schulerud alongside President Joe Biden and his wife Jill
At the event, which was marred by a storm that led to the cancellation of a flypast, Biden compared the transatlantic alliance to his childhood neighborhood: “When a neighbor needed help, you gave them a hand, when bullies threatened the neighborhood, you stepped in,” he said.
The US president confirmed on Tuesday evening that the allies would also provide Ukraine with a total of five additional anti-aircraft defense systems, including four Patriot batteries, surface-to-air missiles that are particularly effective in intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy are also expected to contribute.
Russia has recently stepped up its missile strikes against Ukraine, notably devastating the country’s largest children’s hospital in Kyiv.
“40 billion”
More than two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, allies are committed to developing their defense industries, outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday.
“This new commitment sends an unambiguous message to the world,” Joe Biden stressed on this point, welcoming the fact that 23 countries out of the 32 in the alliance would now devote 2% of their gross domestic product to military spending.
The allies also decided that their military aid to Ukraine would reach at least 40 billion euros over the coming year, according to their joint declaration.
Ukraine had hoped to receive a formal invitation to join NATO, but will have to wait a little longer due to opposition from several countries, including the United States.
The members of the organization, however, agree that Ukraine is on an “irreversible trajectory” towards membership in the Atlantic Alliance, according to the final communiqué. For German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the decisions taken by NATO “provide Ukraine with the clarity it needs.”
Uncertainties
Emmanuel Macron, who arrived on Wednesday, made no statement to the press, despite concerns among his European partners about a potential weakening of France after the legislative elections.
The Washington summit comes amid political uncertainty in the United States, where President Biden has faced opposition from 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 election outcome, the United States will remain a strong and loyal NATO ally,” Stoltenberg said on Wednesday. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, however, acknowledged that polarization in the United States was “very toxic.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is also attending the summit after his recent trips to Moscow and Beijing, which were very poorly received, particularly in Washington and Brussels.