What kyiv can (or cannot) hope for from the NATO summit opening in Washington

In the aftermath of a massive attack on Ukrainian cities, Volodymyr Zelensky called on his Western allies for a “stronger response” to Russia.

The summit is supposed to “further strengthen NATO’s support for Ukraine”the organization says on its website. The Atlantic Alliance is bringing together its members for three days, starting Tuesday, July 9, in Washington. The day after a massive attack led by Russia against Ukrainian cities, which left at least 36 dead, some of them in hospitals, Volodymyr Zelensky called on the West for a “stronger response” against Moscow. Russia has said it will follow the event with a “maximum attention”.

The Ukrainian president is expected in the American capital, where he will participate in ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance, created in April 1949 to respond to the Soviet threat. Here is what he can (or cannot) expect from this summit for his country.

What to “strengthen anti-aircraft defense”

Volodymyr Zelensky is insistently demanding more weapons to confront Russia, whose offensive has intensified in recent months. kyiv is demanding in particular anti-aircraft defense systems, including Patriot batteries, surface-to-air missiles that are particularly effective against ballistic missiles.

In April, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba requested seven of these systems to protect the country’s cities and infrastructure. Only Germany and Romania have so far responded to this request, each committing to supplying one Patriot system. The Netherlands is working to assemble different parts to form a complete battery for Ukraine. The United States has hinted that it will also supply another Patriot battery.

Washington is also in talks with Israel to transfer up to eight Patriot systems from its ally to Ukraine, according to several US media outlets including the Financial Times and the Wall Street JournalWithout providing details, US President Joe Biden promised on Monday that he would announce, with his NATO allies, “new measures to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses to help protect its cities and civilians from Russian strikes”.

Aid of 40 billion euros for 2025

Without NATO countries, which provide almost all of its military support, Ukraine risks defeat on the battlefield against Russia. However, while this aid has been continuous for two years, there is no guarantee that it will continue to be so in the long term. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had therefore proposed to member states that they commit to providing at least the same level of aid over the long term, i.e. some 40 billion euros per year.

A declaration is expected at the Washington summit. But it is likely to fall short of the hopes of Jens Stoltenberg, who had hoped to see a commitment sealed “as long as necessary”Ukraine will most likely receive only a guarantee for 2025. “I expect the allies to decide at the summit to maintain this level of aid next year.”the NATO chief said on Friday. For the coming years, uncertainty reigns: the next gathering of the Alliance, scheduled for June 2025 in The Hague (Netherlands), will in fact be held after the American presidential election in November. And this one could be won by Donald Trump, who maintains the vagueness on the continuity of American support for Ukraine, and even on the role of the United States in NATO.

New coordination of arms deliveries and military training

Another expected announcement: the establishment of a NATO command center in Wiesbaden, Germany, responsible for coordinating “arms deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian Armed Forces”explained German diplomacy in June. The local military base “already welcomes the American armed forces in Europe, which until now have been carrying out the tasks of coordination,” the German press release details.

A plan approved by the defence ministers of the Alliance countries in mid-June should allow NATO to take over the task. “to lead the coordination of the security training and assistance program”details the organization’s website. On site, member countries will also facilitate “logistics for materials and [apporteront leur] “Contribution to the long-term development of the Ukrainian Armed Forces”we can still read.

Limited progress on its entry into the Alliance

kyiv also wants its bid to join the Atlantic Alliance to advance in Washington, after frustrations over the lack of progress on this issue last year at the Vilnius summit. Ukraine wants to receive a formal invitation to join NATO, but several countries, such as the United States and Germany, are opposed to it. France and Eastern European countries are more in favour, the BBC reports.

The NATO Secretary General assured for his part that all the measures in favour of Ukraine, announced at the Washington summit, are elements favouring its entry into the Alliance. This is a “a very serious effort to put Ukraine in a position where it will be ready to assume its role and responsibilities within the Alliance from day one” of its membership, an American official assured AFP.