Biden to open NATO summit by announcing new air defenses for Ukraine
The announcement comes at a critical juncture in Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion – one day after Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least 22 people and injured 68 more, according to Ukrainian officials, including a strike on the country’s largest children’s hospital.
Two-and-a-half into the war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked allied nations to strengthen his country’s air defenses to thwart Moscow’s military prowess overhead.
Biden will speak from the Mellon Auditorium, where the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949 – creating the alliance – and where former President Bill Clinton held the alliance’s 50th anniversary summit. Given the backdrop, Biden plans to lean into the history of the alliance and the trajectory of the threats it’s faced – and argue that, under his leadership, NATO has become stronger than ever.
While Biden’s remarks are expected to be scripted and read from a teleprompter, the stakes are high for the president as many members of his own party and the public writ large are watching him closely following his poor debate performance late last month. Some members of his own party have recently said they want more evidence of his mental and physical fitness before deciding whether to back him for four more years.
The United States has been a crucial ally to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022 – but the future of that alliance has been thrown into question.
Former President Donald Trump has said he would pressure Ukraine into a peace deal with Russia that would see Kyiv cede territory in the process if he wins the presidency. Earlier this year, Trump said he would allow Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” with countries that don’t meet NATO defense-funding obligations.
The ongoing political situation in Ukraine, heavily influenced by its defense against Russia's invasion, has led President Zelensky to repeatedly urge allied nations to bolster Ukraine's air defenses. Given the high stakes in Biden's speech, his comments regarding NATO's role and strength will be closely scrutinized by his party and the public.
