The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Biden, NATO set to announce Ukraine aid, vow membership
US PRESIDENT Joe Biden and leaders of other NATO member states are set to announce new aid and stress a membership pledge for Ukraine at a summit in Washington af ter Biden promised to defend Kyiv against the Russian invasion.
As Biden welcomed NATO leaders, the United States and Germany announced that the U. S. would start deploying longer- range missiles in Germany in 2026 in an effort to demonstrate its commitment to NATO and European defense.
A joint US- German statement said the “episodic deployments” were in preparation for longer- term stationing of such capabilities that would include SM- 6, Tomahawk and developmental hypersonic weapons.
A draft communique prepared for the meeting of the alliance said the allies intend to provide Ukraine with minimum funding of 40 billion euros in military aid within 2025, but stopped short of the multi- year commitment NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had sought.
The draft, seen by Reuters, also strengthened past NATO language on China, calling it a “decisive enabler” of Russia's war effort in Ukraine and saying Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro- Atlantic security.
Biden said in a speech on
Tuesday that NATO was “stronger than it’s ever been” and that Ukraine can and will stop Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, November's U. S. presidential election could presage a sharp change in Washington’s support for Ukraine and NATO. Republican candidate Donald Trump has questioned the amount of aid given to Ukraine to fight Russia's invasion, and US support for allies generally.