Biden unveils additional air defense aid for Ukraine at NATO summit

President Joe Biden kicked off NATO’s seventy fifth anniversary summit Tuesday by asserting an settlement with 4 different international locations to supply further air protection methods for Ukraine — a precedence for Kyiv because it struggles to thwart Russian missile assaults.

Talking at Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., the positioning the place the unique members of the alliance signed the North Atlantic Treaty, Biden framed it as “a historic donation of air protection gear for Ukraine.”

“The US, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy will present Ukraine with gear for 5 further strategic air protection methods within the coming months,” he stated. “The US and our companions intend to supply Ukraine with dozens of further tactical air protection methods.”

The US, Germany and Romania will donate further Patriot batteries whereas the Netherlands donates Patriot elements. Moreover, Italy will donate a SAMP-T system.

The 5 international locations famous in a press release that they’re engaged on a “additional announcement this 12 months of further strategic air protection methods for Ukraine.”

The U.S. and numerous allies additionally “intend to supply Ukraine with dozens of tactical air protection methods, together with NASAMS, HAWKs, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS and Gepard methods,” based on the joint assertion.

Biden’s announcement comes weeks after the U.S. moved Ukraine as much as the entrance of the queue for Patriot and NASAM interceptors.

“Ukraine will obtain a whole lot of further interceptors over the following 12 months, serving to defend Ukrainian cities in opposition to Russian missiles and Ukrainian troops dealing with their assaults on the frontlines,” he stated.

The White Home has stated that Ukraine will obtain many of those interceptors by the top of the summer time. Over the following 15 months, Kyiv will take priority over a number of different international locations searching for to purchase U.S. air protection methods. The administration has not divulged which international locations will face delays in buying interceptors because of the choice, besides to notice that the choice won’t impression Taiwan or Israel.

Biden’s announcement comes sooner or later after a Russian missile assault on Ukraine’s largest kids’s hospital, killing at the very least 31 folks. The barrage focused 5 Ukrainian cities with 40 missiles, wounding greater than 150 folks, based on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who’s in Washington this week for the summit.

Different NATO member international locations are anticipated to announce further safety packages for Ukraine on the summit this week.

“Collectively we’ve constructed a worldwide coalition to face with Ukraine,” stated Biden. “Collectively we’ve offered important financial and humanitarian help. And collectively we’ve equipped Ukraine with the weapons it must defend itself: tanks, armored automobiles, air protection methods, long-range missiles and tens of millions of munitions.”

“The US and almost two dozen allied companions have signed a bilateral safety settlement with Ukraine,” he stated.