NATO‘s focus at the summit to celebrate 75 years of the alliance saw a renewal of the commitment to Ukraine in Washington. “Putin cannot divide us. He cannot outlast us. He cannot weaken us,” said White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, adding, “And Ukraine, not Russia, will prevail in this war.”
Ukraine is not yet a NATO member and the official communication said the alliance will continue to support Ukraine ‘on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership.’ Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, “The work we are doing together now will ensure that when the time is right, Ukraine can join without delay. It is not a question of if, but when.”
In the coming days, NATO will announce a new military command in Germany led by a three-star general for training and equipping Ukrainian troops. A senior representative in Kyiv will be appointed to deepen Ukraine’s relationship with the alliance. A communique said the allies intend to provide Ukraine with at least 40 billion euros in military aid within the next year.
NATO members also had some tough words for China, calling it an enabler of Russia. “China provides dual use equipment, microelectronics, and a lot of other tools which are enabling Russia to build the missiles, to build the bombs, to build the aircrafts, to build the weapons they’re using to attack Ukraine,” he said. Stoltenberg said this was an important message to China given that all NATO members agreed with this view of China as an enabler for Russia.
In response, China has called the NATO statement one that’s full of lies. “The declaration of the NATO summit in Washington is full of Cold War mentality and belligerent rhetoric, and China-related content is full of provocations, lies, incitement and smears,” said a spokesperson for the Chinese mission to the European Union.
Biden, who’s currently firefighting supporters and opponents to stay in the Presidential race, hosted NATO partners and allies at a dinner at the White House. He said it was time to celebrate what he called ‘the greatest alliance the world has ever known.’
