United States, Romania and allies to send additional strategic air defense systems to Ukraine
Romanian president Klaus Iohannis signed a joint declaration on strengthening Ukraine's air defense alongside his counterparts from the United States, Ukraine, Netherlands, Italy, and Germany. The declaration also comes with a donation of five air defense systems and components to Ukraine.
President Iohannis attends the NATO meeting in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday. During the meeting, several topics of importance for the future of the Alliance, including a substantial support package for Ukraine, will be discussed. The first result of the meeting was the "Joint Statement on Strengthening Ukraine’s Air Defenses."
"Today, we are announcing that, collectively, we are providing Ukraine with additional strategic air defense systems, including additional Patriot batteries donated by the United States, Germany, and Romania; Patriot components donated by the Netherlands and other partners to enable the operation of an additional Patriot battery; and an additional SAMP-T system donated by Italy," the leaders of the five donor countries state, cited in the press release.
"These five strategic air defense systems will help to protect Ukrainian cities, civilians, and soldiers, and we are coordinating closely with the Ukrainian government so that these systems can be utilized rapidly," the declaration continues.
In addition, "in the coming months, the U.S. and partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of tactical air defense systems, including NASAMS, HAWK, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS, and Gepard systems," which "will further expand Ukraine's air defense coverage."
The signatories also expressed their gratitude for the coalition of over 50 countries that continue to provide security assistance to Ukraine, the "Immediate Action on Air Defense" initiative, for which partners have committed USD 1 billion in support.
Thanks was also extended to the coalition led by Germany and France that provides integrated air defense capabilities. Air defense interceptors and other deliveries scheduled for the next year were also discussed.
Joe Biden delivered a powerful speech at the ceremony at Andrew Mellon Auditorium, attended by leaders of the 32 allied countries. In it, he defended his presidency's foreign policy achievements and said that "Ukraine can and will stop Putin." He also announced that the US, Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands have provided additional Patriot systems for Ukraine's defense, which was later confirmed by the White House through the joint declaration of the leaders of the four countries, plus Italy, which donated another system, and Ukraine.
Nevertheless, journalists noted that the elephant in the room was the possibility of former US president and frequent NATO critic Donald Trump winning a second term in the White House.
Volodymyr Zelenksy, in turn, addressed American political leaders in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Institute on the eve of the NATO summit, urging them to make firm decisions to help Ukraine without waiting for November, when the US presidential elections take place.
"Everyone is waiting for November. Americans are waiting for November, in Europe, the Middle East, in the Pacific, the whole world is looking towards November and, frankly speaking, Putin is also waiting for November," said Zelensky, according to Reuters.
During the same event, the US president decorated NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the end of his mandate evening with the highest US distinction.
(photo source: Klaus Iohannis on X)
