The Hague, Netherlands (AP) — Mark Latte, NATO’s executive director, asserted this week that Ukraine will still be a significant topic at the upcoming Alliance Summit, even though there’s no planned leadership meeting focused on enhancing military expenditures.
“We can expect vital discussions regarding Ukraine, particularly about connecting defense spending up to 2035 with the ongoing situation there and the importance of Ukraine remaining engaged,” Latte shared with reporters on the eve of the two-day summit. “This indicates a strong commitment from the Allies.”
Nonetheless, Ukrainian officials have yet to confirm their participation in the dinner for leaders at the NATO summit, which has seen diplomatic tensions compared to earlier alliance gatherings. They have emphasized the military’s need to strengthen in response to the Russian threat.
There’s been a significant shift since last year’s summit in Washington, where Allies promised long-term security support for Ukraine. The alliance’s communique from that meeting also expressed a commitment to supporting Ukraine’s “irreversible path” toward NATO membership.
In spite of this, Zelensky’s connection with US President Donald Trump had a strained encounter during an office meeting earlier this year, highlighting the challenges of securing a prominent spot for Ukrainian leaders at NATO’s decision-making table.
There are additional meetings lined up for Zelenskyy at the summit, but the leadership meeting scheduled for Wednesday appears unlikely to happen, with Rutte recognizing the challenges of gathering leaders together.
“Certainly, the most pressing threat that this alliance confronts is the Russian Federation,” he remarked. “Moscow continues its offensive against Ukraine with backing from North Korea, Iran, China, and Belarus.”
Latte emphasized that the alliance is ramping up its defense efforts, particularly in financial terms, with Ukraine set to receive substantial support.
European allies and Canada are expected to contribute over 35 billion euros in security assistance to Ukraine in the coming year, he noted. “So, in just a few months, we’ve increased our support from 2 billion euros to 35 billion euros. That’s promising news.”
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Moscow launched an attack involving 352 drones and decoys, along with one ballistic missile and five cruise missiles, resulting in at least 14 fatalities and numerous injuries.
