(new: White House Speaker)
BRSSEL/WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) – The heads of state and government of the NATO countries will meet next week for a special summit on Russia’s war against Ukraine. The meeting is to be organized for March 24 at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Tuesday evening. US President Joe Biden is also expected to be a guest at the regular EU March Summit scheduled for March 24-25. This was confirmed by a senior EU official.
Stoltenberg announced that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, support for Ukraine and further strengthening of NATO’s defenses would be discussed. “At this critical time, North America and Europe must continue to stand together.”
The deliberations are the second at the level of heads of state and government since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. In a video conference on February 25, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his colleagues described Russia’s attack as the “most serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security in decades” and a “terrible strategic mistake” by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It is considered unlikely that there will be far-reaching decisions at the summit next week. Among other things, however, it is likely to be discussed whether NATO will react to Russia’s advance towards the west with a substantial and long-term reinforcement of the eastern flank.
It is also considered certain that NATO will once again assure Ukraine unreserved support for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, the alliance has so far categorically ruled out direct military intervention because it fears that this could trigger an even bigger war between NATO and Russia.
However, NATO member states deliver anti-tank weapons, anti-aircraft missiles and other military equipment bilaterally to the partner country. In addition, there are ammunition deliveries as well as financial and humanitarian aid in the millions. Among them are medical supplies for the Ukrainian armed forces. Diplomats emphasized that military support does not come through NATO as an organization, but on the basis of decisions made by national governments.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed that Biden will travel to the NATO and EU summits. It will also deal with transatlantic efforts to impose economic costs on Russia for the attack on Ukraine and to provide humanitarian aid to people affected by the war.
For Biden, it will be the first trip abroad after attending the G20 summit in Rome and the subsequent climate summit in Glasgow last fall. Since taking office in January last year, Biden has only traveled abroad twice.
In June of last year, Biden took part in the G7 summit in Cornwall and at NATO and EU summit meetings in Brussels. He had tried to close ranks with the allies against Beijing and Moscow. “Russia and China are both trying to drive a wedge into our transatlantic solidarity,” he said. He then met with Putin for a summit in Geneva./aha/DP/nas