As we noted in our previous article, the draft communiqué being drafted at the NATO summit in Washington claimed that China had a “decisive catalyst” for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and that Beijing continued to pose systemic situations demanding for Europe and security.
These claims prompted a reaction from China this morning.
A spokesman for the China project for the European Union said the content of the NATO summit in Washington was full of “bellicose rhetoric” and that content related to China contained provocations, “lies, incitement and smears. “
“As we all know, China is not the author of the crisis in Ukraine,” a spokesperson said Thursday.
NATO members have officially declared that Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to joining the Western military alliance, providing an even more binding guarantee of coverage once the war with Russia ends.
The 32 member countries, separately and at yesterday’s joint meeting at their summit in Washington, announced a series of measures to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses.
Among those measures, the United States, the Netherlands and Denmark announced that the first F-16s supplied by NATO would be in the hands of Ukrainian army pilots this summer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed appreciation for efforts to strengthen his air force, shortly after Ukraine experienced one of the deadliest moves of the war, with a massive wave of Russian attacks on cities across the country.
NATO also announced a long-term commitment to security assistance to Ukraine and announced the creation of a new center to ensure that Ukraine receives more reliable weapons and education from alliance members.
But those commitments fall short of the firepower Ukraine says it wants to defeat invading Russian forces.
The final declaration also calls China — which the West says is material for Russian weapons — a “decisive catalyst” for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s long-term is in NATO,” the alliance members said in their statement.
“We will continue on its irreversible path towards full Euro-Atlantic integration, adding NATO membership. “
The alliance welcomed democratic, economic and security reforms for the Ukrainian club and said it would get an invitation “when allies agree and situations are met. “
Welcome to our war policy in Ukraine, following the NATO leaders’ assembly in Washington following devastating Russian moves in several cities.
We’ll provide you with updates and analysis throughout the day. But first, here’s a summary of the major developments of the last 24 hours.
We’re postponing our war policy in Ukraine here, but you can stick to NATO summit updates on Politics Hub.
The summit, which falls on the alliance’s 75th anniversary, is a major moment for Ukraine as Biden’s leadership seeks to win the November election, which could mark a second Trump presidency and a radical foreign policy makeover. .
For now, a new NATO command to provide security assistance to Ukraine is expected to be announced, along with rapid support from the military and the addition of air defense.
NATO’s 32 members are ready to reveal “substantial” developments and reiterate their commitment to the club in Ukraine.
The alliance’s partners have already announced that they will supply five more Patriots, as well as other air defense systems.
On the sidelines of the summit, Joe Biden will meet with Keir Starmer in their first face-to-face meeting.
Before we transition, here’s a summary of today’s major developments:
By Deborah Haynes, Security & Defense Editor
The new UK government’s first rumours about defence have stoked fears among experts that repairing the prowess of the UK military is not a very sensible precedent despite the developing threats.
Keir Starmer seized on a visit to Washington for a NATO primary summit this week to reclaim his “concrete” commitment to increase spending on the armed forces to 2. 5% of national income, from just over 2%, but without setting a transparent timetable, which would make the promise without weak delay in the eyes of allies and foes alike.
The government also revealed that a “strategic defence review” would be introduced next week, but ministers could simply say when it would be concluded, except “within the next year”.
This means that any certainty about the size, shape and budget of the armed forces – weakened by decades of budget cuts under past Conservative and Labour administrations – will not materialise until next summer, even if the defence disorders are well known.
At the same time, Sir Keir will pressure other European allies to spend more on their militaries, as European NATO countries adapt to be less dependent on the United States, a replacement that will be more pressing if Donald Trump is re-elected. .
“It is contradictory,” said a Defense source about the minister’s position.
“The government will ask NATO members to spend 2. 5 percent, but will pretend that it will do it itself until tax regulations allow it. To be honest, I’m confused. “
John Healey, the new Secretary of Defense, has spent the last four years in this position and is very knowledgeable about the demanding situations and complexities of rebuilding the military and also getting a higher price for cash with the defense budget.
This means that you will already have concepts about the final results of the exam.
You’ll also know that it will take quick and significant investment and difficult decisions to liquidate systems that are ultimately underfunded.
Healey will oversee the defense overhaul, a return to the way those painting frames were made when George Robertson was secretary of defense in the 1990s.
By contrast, in successive Conservative governments, those kinds of tests were rebranded and expanded into a strategic defense and security review, and then a built-in review, led through the Cabinet Office, that covered a much broader foreign policy mandate, as well as security and domains. . such as science and technology.
Bringing the guidelines of this new revision back into the bowels of the Ministry of Defence will allow the armed forces and defence officials to have much more knowledge about the narrative and conclusions.
But at the same time, his mandate would arguably be too limited to ensure that the UK is fit to enter the war.
A long-term war would be a national effort, requiring all the breakdowns of the state to be in a position to play their part, something they have not had to do since the Cold War years.
In a statement issued today as part of the defense announcements, Mr Healey said: “Our government’s first duty is to keep the country safe. That is why we will increase defense spending and publish a strategic defense review to ensure that they have the role of protecting the United Kingdom today and tomorrow.
“The review will also establish defense reforms to streamline procurement and achieve a better bang for the buck. “
Gen. Wieslaw Kukula said the country wants to strike a balance between military education and border security.
The number of troops on the country’s eastern border will increase from 6,000 to 8,000 by August, he said.
In May, Poland announced the main points of the “Eastern Shield,” a $2. 5 billion program to bolster its defenses along its border with Belarus and Russia.
Belarus and China yesterday held military exercises near the Polish border.
The border with Belarus has also been a hotspot since migrants began arriving there in 2021.
Belarus has opened agencies in the Middle East that provide new unofficial direction to Europe, a move the European Union said was aimed at creating a crisis.
At the end of last year, the Polish armed forces numbered about 190,000 men.
Poland plans to increase this figure to 300,000 infantry soldiers within a few years.
F-16 fighter jets will fly over Ukraine this summer, U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Norway has already announced at the summit that it will donate six F-16s.
NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg said it was too early to say when Ukraine will be a member of the alliance.
Speaking at the summit in Washington, he said Russia poses no military risk to NATO allies, which are involved in Ukraine.
The summit will include a really extensive package of measures for Ukraine, the Secretary-General said.
Sources told Reuters that the most recent draft of the summit says NATO will continue to assist Ukraine on its “irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, adding its membership to NATO. “
By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent
The Russian media have tried to forget about the NATO summit, downplaying the symptoms of unity within the alliance and extolling the symptoms of division.
Much of the discussion centers on President Biden and the questions he faces about his fitness to hold office.
His promise to protect Ukraine and defeat Russia is mentioned, however, in the context of a kind “out of touch with reality,” according to the official tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets.
The media describe the US leader as “close to senility” and claim that he must save his “failed presidential campaign”.
As for Ukraine’s possible path to NATO membership, media policy has focused on the obstacles that Kiev will have to overcome.
Polish President Andrzej Duda’s statements, in particular that the club cannot take a position before the conflict ends, were picked up on the 60 Minutes television programme and described as a “cold shower” for Zelensky.
But I think the fact that all this media politics here betrays a deep concern.
The Kremlin knows that President Zelensky will come out of this summit with more military aid. How much?
According to an anonymous NATO official quoted by the Reuters news agency, Russia is suffering “very high” losses and is running out of ammunition and troops for a first offensive.
If true, more weapons for Ukraine could simply create problems.
On the surface, however, there are few symptoms of concern. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would “closely monitor” the effects of the summit.
Interfax reported this morning that Russian fighter jets had conducted exercises over the sea and the Kola Peninsula.
It is not known precisely when those incidents occurred.