NATO Allies have agreed to support Ukraine on its “irreversible path to membership.”
At a press conference on Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg described the “unprecedented support” — amounting to tens of billions of euros in military aid — that the intergovernmental military alliance has provided Ukraine in its war with Russia. He promised that more support would be forthcoming “with a minimum baseline of 40 billion euros within the next year.”
Stoltenberg stressed, “Today we send a strong message of unity and resolve to Moscow. That violence and intimidation do not pay, and that Ukraine can count on NATO now and for the long haul.”
While there was much to glean from the multi-day event, President Joe Biden’s mistaken introduction of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” may be the unfortunate standout.
Politico reported on the key takeaways from the three-day summit before the Biden gaffe. Here’s the start of the story:
By design, Ukraine was this week’s big winner at the NATO summit in Washington.
It was NATO’s 75th birthday party, and despite not being a member of the alliance, Kyiv stole the spotlight. Over the course of three days, the 32-member military alliance rallied around Ukraine’s war efforts to combat the Russian invasion.
Dozens of leaders assembled in the nation’s capital, participating panels and speeches galore amid Washington’s characteristically brutal summer weather. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alone gave at least one speech a day in his de facto VIP role, while President Joe Biden played host while dealing with political turmoil surrounding his ability to win reelection.