The American president, Joe Bidenannounced on Tuesday the shipment of anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraineon the sidelines of a NATO summit in Washington.
“The war will end and Ukraine will remain a free and independent country. Russia will not win.”“I’m not going to be a candidate for reelection,” Biden, 81, said in a speech in which he tried to dispel doubts in the Democratic Party about his candidacy for reelection in the November elections, after a catastrophic debate against his Republican rival Donald Trump.
“This is a crucial moment for Europe, for the transatlantic community and, I might add, for the world.”he claimed.
He participated with the leaders, or their representatives, of the 32 NATO countries in a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Atlantic Alliance.
In a joint statement, several countries of the NATOincluding the United States, confirmed the shipment of a total of five of these systems, including four Patriot batteries and surface-to-air missiles particularly effective at intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
The fifth air defence system announced on Tuesday is a battery of Samp-T missiles, of Franco-Italian manufacture, which Italy had already promised.
The new thing is the Patriot battery, which the United States will supply. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been asking for it for months.
Zelensky will deliver a speech later today at the Ronald Reagan Institute.
Bombings
On Monday, Ukraine was the target of Russian attacks that left more than 30 people dead and devastated the country’s largest children’s hospital.
The Allies also pledged to provide other Patriot or equivalent systems. “this year” and “tens” of tactical air defense systems “in the coming months.”
“Today is Washington”Zelensky said earlier in his video address.
“We are fighting for more anti-aircraft defense” and “More F-16 planes”which is expected to be delivered to Ukraine soon, he added.
Washington will also reschedule the already planned delivery of missile batteries so that kyiv can have “hundreds of additional ground-to-air interceptors over the next year”according to a joint statement by the United States, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany, Italy and Ukraine.
Moment of respite
Russian attacks have left dozens dead and have already destroyed half of Ukraine’s energy capacity.
As host of the anniversary ceremony in the auditorium where the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949, Biden was able to enjoy a moment of respite in an election campaign that is turning into an ordeal for him.
There are growing calls, even within his own Democratic camp, for the president to let another candidate contest the election against Trump after his dismal performance in the debate, in which he appeared confused and even rambled.
The 78-year-old Republican billionaire commented on this anniversary ceremony on his social network Truth Social. He assured that without him “NATO would probably no longer exist.”
He says this because the Europeans have committed to spending more on their defence, which he says is due to the pressure he exerted during his term in office.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recalled in his speech that the Alliance is not a “duty” but the “the result of deliberate choices and difficult decisions.”
The same goes for support for Ukraine, which requires “costs and risks”he recalled.
“Defending freedom”
“The biggest cost and the biggest risk would be for Russia to win in Ukraine”said.
“The outcome of this war will determine global security for decades to come,” Stoltenberg said. “The time to defend freedom and democracy is now. The place is Ukraine.”
kyiv would like to advance its application for membership of the Atlantic Alliance on the occasion of this summit, but it is under no illusions.
Ukraine wants a formal invitation, but several countries, including the United States, are opposed to it.
What could be achieved is that the promise of adhesion is “irreversible” but under conditions, according to a diplomat who asked not to be named.
Russia for its part stated that it will continue with “maximum attention” this summit.
Source: Gestion

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