- NATO to appoint senior envoy in Kyiv
- Focus on deepening Ukraine-NATO relations
- Zelenskyy urges decisive US, Europe actions
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will designate a senior envoy in Ukraine’s capital to strengthen ties with the war-torn country, according to a senior US official, as world leaders convene for a NATO summit in Washington, DC.
On Tuesday afternoon, White House adviser Jake Sullivan said the representative in Kyiv would aim to “deepen Ukraine’s institutional relationship with the alliance” during a summit defence industry event.
According to Sullivan, the position will also “serve as the focal point for NATO’s engagement with senior Ukrainian officials”.
The announcement comes as NATO officials and world leaders travel to the US capital for the organization’s annual summit, which began on Tuesday.
Continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion is high on the agenda, especially in light of a series of recent Russian strikes, including a tragic bombing of a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post shortly after arriving in Washington, DC, that he would advocate for more air defence systems, financial help, and aircraft, especially F-16s.
“We urge decisive actions from the US and Europe – actions that will strengthen our warriors,” Zelenskyy stated in a letter to X.
“We are dedicated to doing everything possible to counter Russian terror. This is critical not only for our country but for everyone, including our partners and all nations.”
Zelenskyy and US President Joe Biden are both slated to speak later on Tuesday at the Ronald Reagan Institute to kick off the NATO meeting. The pair will also meet on Thursday afternoon, according to the White House.
According to aides, Biden’s inaugural statement will focus on what his administration sees as a crucial accomplishment: a stronger and more united NATO, led by the United States, with additional members and a commitment to meeting their collective security needs.
They claim that this leads to actual benefits for American voters, such as a safer country with a stronger international economic position, more allies and power overseas, and a lower risk of conflict with rivals.
This week’s NATO conference comes at a critical time for Biden, who is facing home doubts about his health and capacity to serve another term in the White House following his terrible performance in the 2024 presidential debate last month.
The Democratic president, who is poised to square battle against his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, in the November election, has rejected calls to withdraw from the campaign.
Biden administration officials sought to minimize allegations that Washington’s NATO partners are concerned about the president’s ability to maintain power before the arrival of leaders from the 32 NATO member countries in Washington, DC.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, White House adviser John Kirby stated that the administration was “not picking up any signs” of any foreign leaders being concerned.
All of them “wouldn’t be coming … to a NATO Summit if they didn’t believe in American leadership and how important it is and if they didn’t believe that President Biden takes that responsibility extremely seriously”, according to Kirby.
However, as suspicions about Biden swirl, the coalition has been cautiously anticipating Trump’s likely return to the White House following the November elections.
Trump has often chastised fellow NATO members for failing to fulfil an agreed-upon target of spending at least 2% of GDP on defence.
European worry was heightened in February when Trump told NATO partners in a campaign address that if he returned to the White House, he “would encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to countries who do not fulfil defence expenditure targets.
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Trump and his Republican congressional supporters have also chastised Biden for delivering an “endless flow of American treasure” to Ukraine.
Sullivan, the White House adviser, said the Biden administration was “committed” to standing with Ukraine “for the long term” during a NATO event in Washington, DC, on Tuesday afternoon.
According to Sullivan, NATO will establish a new military command in Germany later this week that will commence a “training, equipping, and force development programme for Ukrainian troops.
“We’ll also make announcements outlining how we plan to strengthen critical Ukrainian air defence capabilities and build Ukraine’s air power through the provision of F-16s,” he further added.
According to Sullivan, the additional measures are intended to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he “cannot divide us, outlast us, or weaken us, and Ukraine – not Russia – will prevail in this war.
The Kremlin said it was closely monitoring the NATO summit, especially “the rhetoric at the talks and the decisions that will be taken and put on paper.”
