Nato marks 75th birthday
Group mulls plan to provide more military support to ukraine
Nato marked 75 years of collective defense across Europe and North America, with its top diplomats vowing on Thursday to stay the course in Ukraine as better-armed Russian troops assert control on the battlefield.
The anniversary comes as the now 32-nation alliance weighs a plan to provide more predictable longer-term military support to Ukraine.
Plagued by ammunition shortages, Ukraine this week lowered the military conscription age from 27 to 25 in an effort to replenish its depleted ranks and appealed for additional air defenses to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.
“I didn’t want to spoil the birthday party for Nato, but I felt compelled to deliver a sobering message on behalf of Ukrainians about the state of Russian air attacks on my country, destroying our energy system, our economy, killing civilians,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who attended a meeting of the Nato-ukraine Council.
Kuleba thanked the allies for agreeing to begin identifying Patriot missile battery stocks that could be sent to Ukraine. The Patriot “is the only system that effectively intercepts ballistic missiles,” he said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking before meeting
with Kuleba, said that “support for Ukraine, the determination of every country represented here at Nato, remains rock solid”.
“We will do everything we can, allies will do everything that they can, to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to continue to deal with Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, aggression that is getting worse with every passing day,” he said.
But, Blinken also acknowledged alliance unease over fears that the US commitment to both Ukraine and Nato might flag, particularly should former President Donald Trump retake the White House in November’s election. Already, Congress is balking at approving a massive supplemental funding Bill that includes significant aid for Ukraine.
“The message from Brussels is clear: that vote cannot happen soon enough,” Blinken told reporters after his meetings, referring to the Ukraine funding. “I also heard this from ally after ally: our commitment, our engagement is indispensable for this alliance.”
“I also heard the profound impact it would have on global security if the United States were in any way to back away from its commitments,” he said. “I agree with that. And, that’s also a message that I intend to take back with me to the United States and to our Congress.”