“Russia remains the most significant and direct threat to the security of the Allies,” the final statement reads.
At this summit, “we took new steps to strengthen our deterrence and defence, and to reinforce our long-term support for Ukraine so that it can win” in the war against Russia, the text adds.
But the leaders are concerned about China’s position, which “has become a decisive facilitator of Russia’s war against Ukraine through its so-called ‘no-holds-barred’ partnership and its large-scale support for Russia’s defense industrial base,” they charge.
Before the official opening of the summit, several NATO countries have already announced that they have begun sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is in the US capital, said the aircraft brought the country closer to “a just and lasting peace.”
“Camino irreversible”
F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands will be flying over Ukraine this summer, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
The White House said Belgium and Norway have promised to provide more aircraft.
Ukraine would like to receive a formal invitation to join NATO, but will still have to wait due to opposition from several countries, including the United States.
It will have to settle for the recognition that it is on an “irreversible path” towards NATO membership, the statement said.
According to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the decisions taken by NATO “offer Ukraine the clarity it needs.”
After celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Western military alliance with great fanfare on Tuesday, the leaders met at the North Atlantic Council.
US confirms shipment of anti-aircraft defense
US President Joe Biden confirmed on Tuesday that allies will provide Ukraine with a total of five air defense systems, including four Patriot-type batteries, surface-to-air missiles particularly effective at intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy will also contribute.
Russia has recently stepped up its missile attacks on Ukraine, killing 43 people and devastating the country’s largest children’s hospital in kyiv this week.
Russian missiles have also destroyed half of the country’s energy capacity.
More than two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the allies will also commit to developing their defense industry, outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday.
“This new commitment sends an unequivocal message to the world,” said Biden, who is pleased that 23 of the 32 countries that make up the alliance will henceforth allocate 2% of their gross domestic product to military spending.
The leaders also decided that their military aid to Ukraine will be at least 40 billion euros (about 43 billion dollars) “in the coming year.”
US Elections
The Washington summit is taking place amid a climate of political uncertainty in the United States, where Biden is struggling to quell a rebellion by Democratic congressmen who are calling on him to drop out of the race for a second term against Trump, following his disastrous debate against the Republican.
The summit is looming over by former President Trump, whose comments on NATO appear to undermine the principle of mutual assistance under Article 5 of the Treaty.
“I hope that whatever the outcome of the election, the United States will remain a strong and loyal NATO ally,” Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who holds the rotating EU presidency, is also attending the summit after controversial trips to Moscow and Beijing.
The Ukrainian president will meet lawmakers before taking part in a NATO-Ukraine Council on Thursday, the final day of the summit.
For Biden, this will be a crucial day, as all eyes will be on his planned press conference. Not only will what he says be scrutinized, but also how he says it.
Source: With information from AFP
