NATO countries will provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and new air defenses to counter an intensified Russian missile strike campaign, despite new assessments suggesting the conflict is headed for an indefinite stalemate.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced the plan but did not specify the details of the air defenses, although Ukraine has been requesting more Patriot systems to intercept Russian missiles. He also did not elaborate on the F-16s, over a year after President Joe Biden overcame his reluctance to send the jets to Ukraine.
This offer is part of a new package of commitments to Ukraine that NATO leaders will present during a three-day summit starting later Tuesday. The 32 leaders meeting in Washington aim to demonstrate renewed support, even as they resist giving Ukraine a definite timeline or concrete path toward membership.
“I think what we’ve seen over the last days demonstrates the need to step up our support for Ukraine,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters Tuesday.
Stoltenberg’s comments follow assessments that the conflict in Ukraine could continue indefinitely without an agreement to end the fighting. The latest battlefield analysis suggests neither side is poised to make significant gains, potentially leading to a prolonged stalemate. Ukraine has the resources to maintain its position but not to advance significantly.
The leaders gather amidst uncertainty for the alliance. President Joe Biden, scheduled to deliver a speech to fellow leaders Tuesday night, faces questions about his age and fitness for office. Other leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, are dealing with political challenges at home.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin is less isolated than the West would prefer. Earlier Tuesday, he welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Moscow and continues to strengthen ties with China, which has increased its support for Russia with dual-use items for weapons.
The Biden administration aims to portray the summit as a success for the US president, highlighting his efforts to repair relations with allies over the past four years since replacing Donald Trump. They seek to contrast this with the potential chaos if Trump is re-elected in November.
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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has pushed for a concrete, time-bound plan for Ukraine to join NATO, which President Putin strongly opposes and NATO nations have been reluctant to offer. A summit statement expected this week is anticipated to provide Ukraine an “irreversible” path to membership, contingent on necessary anti-corruption reforms.
A person familiar with Ukraine’s position stated that Zelenskiy’s team is dissatisfied with this approach, arguing that what the country truly wants is a formal invitation to join the alliance.
NATO nations are also grappling with the reality that the conflict, now in its third year, seems further from resolution than ever. A senior NATO official, speaking anonymously, said Putin believes time is on his side and that the war will extend beyond 2025.
Emphasizing the urgency for air defenses, Russia launched a missile barrage on the eve of the summit Monday, killing at least 40 people, including in a strike on a children’s hospital. Zelenskiy, who was scheduled to speak in Washington later Tuesday, has become increasingly frustrated with NATO’s slow pace in providing additional air defenses.
The US and its allies have struggled to find more Patriot batteries to send, as most systems are already allocated globally. The push to deliver F-16s and train pilots has also been slow, hampered by protracted training times and a lack of pilots.
With assistance from Daryna Krasnolutska.
