Following intensified air strikes by Russia, Ukrainian President Zelensky has requested more aid from NATO and urged allied nations to assist Kyiv immediately ahead of the upcoming U.S. election. NATO has pledged to provide Ukraine with dozens of air defense systems in response to this request, drawing attention to the pressure the alliance faces in terms of military assistance.
During Tuesday’s (July 9) NATO summit speech, U.S. President Biden announced that NATO allies will supply Ukraine with dozens of tactical air defense systems in the coming months.
Biden stated, “Today, I am announcing a historic increase in providing Ukraine with more air defense equipment.”
These air defense capabilities include five long-range air defense systems, as well as dozens of short-range systems and missiles. The U.S., Germany, and Romania will each deploy a “Patriot” system requested by Kyiv, with a fourth system being assembled from components provided by the Netherlands and other countries. Italy will send an “SAMP/T” system.
Other NATO allies have also pledged to provide additional short-range air defense systems.
Biden emphasized that Ukraine “will receive this assistance before other countries,” adding that “in total, Ukraine will receive hundreds of additional interceptors next year to help protect Ukrainian cities from Russian missile attacks.”
These commitments come in the aftermath of Russian missile strikes on a children’s hospital in Kyiv. On Monday, Russia’s missile strikes hit several Ukrainian cities, resulting in dozens of deaths, including the attack on a children’s hospital in Kyiv. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine’s air defense capabilities are still insufficient.
However, many of the commitments announced on Tuesday were repetitions of previous pledges. The Netherlands had announced its own plan as early as May, while Italy and Romania disclosed their commitments in June.
Last month, during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden had already indicated that Ukraine would receive another “Patriot” missile system and priority access to new air defense capabilities.
These developments highlight the pressure NATO faces in providing military assistance amid the stalemate in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Currently, NATO is preparing to hold a meeting on Thursday (July 11) with its partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, to discuss defense industry cooperation issues in order to better utilize the production capacities of South Korea, Japan, and Australia.
Zelensky has consistently called for a specific and time-bound plan for Ukraine’s accession to NATO, a move strongly opposed by Russia and yet to be supported by NATO members.
However, it is expected that in the summit declaration this week, NATO will outline an “irreversible” path for Ukraine’s accession, conditional on Ukraine undertaking necessary reforms to tackle corruption.
On Tuesday, Zelensky thanked NATO for providing air defense capabilities but stressed that more action is needed to deter Russian invasion.
He urged NATO allies to take decisive action before the U.S. election to help Ukraine repel Russian incursions.
Zelensky also called for the U.S. to take further measures, such as allowing his military to strike targets within Russia, including air bases, and assisting Ukraine in having deep strike capabilities in Crimea.
“It’s time to step out of the shadow, make strong decisions, take action, not wait until November or any other month,” Zelensky said at the Reagan Institute in Washington. “For this, we must stand firm, stand united. The U.S. is the leader.”
Zelensky’s speech underscores Ukraine’s sense of urgency as the war enters its third year. Ukraine currently has enough resources to hold the line, but they are dwindling. In recent weeks, Russian forces have increased pressure on the front lines, slowly but successfully advancing inland.
On Tuesday, an anonymous senior NATO official revealed to Bloomberg that Russian President Putin believes time is on his side as long as the war continues into 2025.
Zelensky remarked, “Now everyone is waiting for November. Americans are waiting for November… Putin is also waiting for November, he is killing, destroying, preparing for whatever November brings.”
“America should not shy away from its stance. It is America that upholds freedom worldwide. That’s why the world values America. An America that takes action.”
“Strong decisions need to be made. We are waiting for them. We look forward to them,” he said. “We have proven more than once that the more we have, the harder it is for Putin to wage war.”
Zelensky asserted, “There’s no need to wait for several more months. America can become great every day.”