Biden Pledges Ukraine Air Defenses at NATO Summit
As NATO leaders converge in Washington DC for their summit, US President Joe Biden has pledged to provide Ukraine with five new strategic air defence systems to counter relentless Russian attacks.
In his brief opening remarks Biden declared the military alliance "more powerful than ever" as it faced a "pivotal moment" in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
President Biden announced that the US, in partnership with Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania, will donate Patriot missile batteries and other systems to aid Ukraine, in response to increasing civilian casualties in the conflict. This announcement follows a Russian missile strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv, which the city's mayor described as one of the worst attacks since the war began.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has been urging Western allies to increase air defense supplies. NATO plans to donate five strategic air defense systems and numerous smaller, tactical anti-air batteries over the next year. Biden asserted, "The war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country. Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail."
In his speech, aimed at reassuring both international allies and domestic audiences amidst an election challenge from Donald Trump, Biden warned of "autocrats" disrupting global order. Concurrently, congressional Democrats held a private meeting to discuss Biden's leadership, with attendees describing the mood as "sad." Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from New Jersey, became the seventh House member to publicly urge Biden not to seek re-election, citing high stakes. Visiting diplomats also expressed doubts about Biden's future, with one European envoy telling Reuters, "We don't see how he can come back after the debate. I can't imagine him being at the helm of the US and NATO for four more years."
Mr Biden's team has responded by trying to show that the 81-year-old remains vigorous enough to handle the demands of the presidency.
The White House has credited Mr Biden's leadership for the expansion of Nato since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, with Finland and Sweden joining the alliance.
Joining the NATO leaders at the Summit is the UK's new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Before departing for Washington, Sir Keir Starmer expressed his satisfaction in "confirming and reaffirming Labour's strong, unshakeable support for NATO." When asked by reporters accompanying him to the summit about his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sir Keir emphasized that the gathering should be seen as a demonstration of NATO allies' clear and united resolve to support Ukraine and oppose Russian aggression. He noted that a recent deadly attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv "strengthens the resolve" of NATO allies, making it a significant, though tragic, backdrop to the summit.
Sir Keir also mentioned that the UK is seeking to advance a package of support for Ukraine that "goes beyond the support that's been put in before." He is scheduled to meet with President Biden on Wednesday, as well as with Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress.
Tuesday's event, rich in the alliance's history, was held in the same venue where the original treaty was signed decades ago—a fact President Biden highlighted in his speech.
Near the conclusion of his speech, Mr Biden called Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on to the stage to award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour.
