At a summit in Washington, DC, the 32 members of the military alliance expressed their “unwavering” support for Ukraine’s war effort, even if a formal schedule for its admission was not decided.
NATO members have committed €40 billion ($43.3 billion, £33.7 billion) in help in the upcoming year, including F-16 fighter jets and air defense support. NATO has also announced tighter integration with the Ukrainian military.
According to Secretary-General of the bloc Jens Stoltenberg, “supporting Ukraine is not charity; rather, it is in our own security interest.”
At the NATO summit, the ongoing invasion of Ukraine was the main topic of discussion, and a statement that all members agreed upon said Russia.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken verified that Ukraine is currently receiving US-built F-16 aircraft that were previously located in Denmark and the Netherlands.
Ukraine will be receiving these cutting-edge aircraft for the first time, something Kyiv has long demanded. “This summer” is when the jets will be used, Mr. Blinken said the summit.
As part of steps to strengthen relations between the alliance and Ukraine, members of NATO decided to establish a new unit to oversee military assistance and training for the Ukrainian army.
