F-16 planes, anti-aircraft defense batteries, an “irreversible trajectory” towards membership: NATO countries multiplied their pledges of increased support for Ukraine on Wednesday, July 10, on the first day of a historic summit in Washington marked by political uncertainties, particularly in the United States.
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“Russia is on a war footing,” with help from China, North Korea and Iran for its arms industry, the president of the UNITED STATES Joe Biden, at this summit marking the 75th anniversary of the Alliance. In this regard, the leaders of theNATO expressed their ” deep concerns ” faced with the rapprochement between Russia and China, and denounced Beijing’s support for the Russian war effort in Ukraineaccording 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.
Strengthening of Ukrainian air defense
The White House added that Belgium and Norway had pledged to provide additional aircraft to Ukraine, which is facing an increasing barrage of Russian missiles against its cities and infrastructure. After celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Western military alliance in Washington the previous evening, the leaders met in the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s top political body, before heading to the White House for a gala dinner.
At the event, which was marred by a storm that led to the cancellation of an air parade, Biden compared the transatlantic alliance to his childhood neighborhood: ” when a neighbor needed help, you lent a hand, when bullies threatened the neighborhood, you intervened “, did he declare.
The US president confirmed on Tuesday evening that the allies would also provide Ukraine with a total of five air defense systems additional missiles, 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. This comes as Russia has recently stepped up its missile strikes against Ukraine, notably devastating the country’s largest children’s hospital in kyiv.
40 billion euros of aid for the coming year
More than two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the allies are committed to developing their defense industries, outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday, July 10.
” 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 that make up the alliance would now devote 2% of their gross domestic product to military spending. The allies also decided that their military aid to Ukraine to deal with the Russia would reach at least 40 billion euros over the coming year, according to their joint statement.
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. However, members of the organization agree that Ukraine is on a ” irreversible trajectory » towards its 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.”
NATO also facing 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 in a climate of political uncertainty in the United States, where President Biden has faced a revolt from Democratic elected officials urging him to abandon 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. »however, Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday. Finnish President Alexander Stubb nevertheless acknowledged that the 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.
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