Biden to meet Zelensky at NATO summit
President Joe Biden is going to have a meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. They will meet at the NATO summit on Wednesday.
The meeting serves as a symbol of unity, considering that Zelensky’s attendance at the summit had been uncertain. Among the top priorities for NATO leaders is addressing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, along with deliberations on the country’s potential path to NATO membership, which has generated some divergence among the leaders.
Ukraine is expected to feature prominently on the summit’s agenda, as President Biden aims to rally the alliance behind Zelensky in the face of Russia’s incursion. The question of Ukraine’s potential accession to NATO, as well as the provision of additional military support as its counteroffensive continues, looms large for the alliance.
President Biden tempered expectations regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership prospects, given the ongoing conflict and the reforms that the country would still need to undertake to meet the alliance’s requirements.
Their most recent in-person meeting took place in May at the G-7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Zelensky utilized the opportunity to appeal for increased assistance from global leaders, coming on the heels of Russia’s capture of the town of Bakhmut after months of intense fighting.
During the NATO summit, President Biden could face some reproach from allies regarding his decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine for the first time. The move, aimed at bolstering Ukraine’s offensive capabilities, has sparked public disagreement among allied countries. In an interview with Zakaria, Biden acknowledged it as a “difficult decision” but deemed it necessary due to Ukraine’s dwindling ammunition supplies.
On Friday, Zelensky expressed gratitude for a timely and substantial defense aid package from the United States. In a Twitter message, he stated, “We are grateful to the American people and President Joseph Biden for decisive steps that bring Ukraine closer to victory over the enemy, and democracy to victory over dictatorship.” Zelensky emphasized that expanding Ukraine’s defense capabilities would provide new tools for reclaiming occupied territories and advancing the cause of peace.
Biden and Zelensky have engaged in several high-profile meetings in recent months. Zelensky’s first official trip abroad since the war began was to Washington just before Christmas, where he received a warm reception from President Biden in the Oval Office before delivering a speech to Congress.
A few months later, Biden reciprocated the visit with an unexpected trip to Kyiv, during which he announced a significant aid package worth half a billion dollars. The moment was marked by air raid sirens sounding as the two presidents strolled near the gold-domed St. Michael’s Cathedral.