(Brussels) NATO, for its 75th anniversary, must more than ever demonstrate unity in the face of the Russian threat, Joe Biden and Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, at a time when uncertainties over American commitment in Europe are increasing.
Born on April 4, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is “bigger, stronger and more united than ever”, welcomed its Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, during a ceremony marking this anniversary at headquarters of NATO in Brussels.
He nevertheless showed concern for the future, urging in his speech the United States to remain close to its European allies.
“I believe in America and Europe together in NATO, because we are stronger and more secure together,” he said. “With NATO, the United States has more friends and more allies than any other power” in the world.
“Sacred Commitment”
Joe Biden appeared to respond to him on Thursday by calling for maintaining the “sacred commitment” of the United States to NATO.
“We must remember that the sacred commitment we make to our allies, to defend every inch of NATO territory, also strengthens our own security and gives the United States a bulwark that has no equivalent in the world,” wrote the American president in a press release published on the occasion of this anniversary.
The prospect of a return to the White House of former President Donald Trump with the November presidential election worries European Allies, who fear American disengagement in Europe and an end to United States support for Ukraine in war.
The situation on the battlefield where the Russian army is now on the offensive against Ukrainian forces lacking weapons and ammunition is also worrying.
“I don’t want to spoil the party, but obviously my main message today is the ‘Patriots’”, missiles used in anti-aircraft defense, declared Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, shortly before the start of a Ukraine-NATO Council.
“The supply of Patriots depends on the Allies and they have plenty of Patriots,” while Ukraine, he added, was hit by some 94 ballistic missiles in March alone.
“We will do everything we can, Allies will do everything we can to make sure Ukraine has what it needs,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. following an interview with Mr Kuleba in Brussels.
The American official, however, did not give details on the nature of this support, in particular on the Patriots requested by Kyiv.
Mr. Stoltenberg specified for his part that the Allies had undertaken to take an “inventory of their stocks” to check whether they could provide more anti-aircraft systems and in particular Patriot missiles, the most suitable for destroying missiles. ballistics.
But for some NATO countries, including those geographically close to Russia and among the most concerned about the situation on the Ukrainian battlefield, these commitments remain insufficient.
“Beautiful stories”
“Good stories do not win wars,” warned the head of Lithuanian diplomacy Gabrielius Landsbergis on Thursday on X. And, “without significant arms deliveries […]the glorious narrative around unity and solidarity” risks becoming nothing more than “cynicism”, he said.
Ukrainian soldiers must ration the artillery shells they fire against the Russians, for lack of receiving enough, recalled the NATO Secretary General.
Faced with this situation, Mr. Stoltenberg advocates a “predictable” and “long-term” commitment from the Allies in favor of Ukraine.
He mentioned the creation of a fund of one hundred billion euros over five years to stabilize this commitment, a figure greeted with skepticism by some of them, including Germany.