WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — NATO leaders gathered Tuesday in Washington for a three-day summit marking the military alliance’s 75th anniversary.
President Joe Biden addressed the United States’ allies to reassure them of the importance of the NATO pact.
The Washington summit comes amid worsening political tensions in the U.S., several wars around the globe and growing concerns over the president’s ability to win reelection in the fall.
The gathering of the leaders from the 32 NATO countries — plus Pacific partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, as well as Ukraine — is expected to be one of Biden’s last appearances at an international forum before Election Day and comes before next week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
NATO summit kicks off at the Mellon Auditorium
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that peace has been preserved, making NATO the most successful alliance in history. The summit kicked off at the Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.
He pressed support for Ukraine, saying, “The outcome of this war will shape global security for decades to come.” Stoltenberg concluded his speech by saying, “It is good to have friends,” emphasizing the need for European countries to stick together in the face of possible conflict.
Biden took the stage next to welcome NATO leaders, starting his speech addressing the organization’s formation in 1949 with President Harry Truman.
“NATO is more powerful than ever,” he said.
The president announced that the U.S. and a wide range of other NATO allies will send Ukraine dozens of air defense systems in the coming months, including at least four of the powerful Patriot systems that Kyiv has been desperately seeking to help fight off Russian advances in the war, according to a new joint agreement.
“This moment in history calls for our collective strength,” he says, stressing NATO’s resolve to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion.
In his 13-minute remarks, Biden did not nod to the domestic political drama swirling around him.
He also awarded Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Biden’s election woes concern NATO
With growing concern over calls for Biden to drop out of the race for the White House, NATO members are trying to gameplan for a second Donald Trump term.
Trump, who once declared NATO “obsolete,” railed against member states’ contributions to the alliance when he was in the White House and more recently said he’d let Russia do “whatever” it wants to member states he’s displeased with.
Stoltenberg said Sunday that “NATO … will never be a given” and that the alliance’s continued existence is dependent on political leadership and commitment.
It’s a sharp contrast from the commitment Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson says is necessary for NATO to continue as it has for the last three-quarters of a century.
“Every NATO member needs to be spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense. That’s the agreement. That’s the deal. There’s 10 or 12 of them that aren’t doing that yet. It’s no longer acceptable that not all NATO members have reached their current commitment,” Johnson said.
While there is concern from NATO members about the possibility of a second Trump presidency, one senior diplomat told Reuters that they still think NATO can work with a new Trump administration, saying, “The approach is different from working with Biden, that’s evident. But it’s nothing that couldn’t be done.”
NATO’s main focus: Ukraine
Despite the political cloud looming over Washington, NATO will be mainly focused on the war in Ukraine and the country’s seemingly inevitable admission to the group.
A year ago, NATO announced Ukraine would be admitted at some point down the road. This week, the alliance could declare Ukraine’s pathway to membership “irreversible” despite Kyiv having a long way to go in making the necessary reforms to be eligible to join.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor said Tuesday on “Morning in America” that Biden must address the importance of NATO during this week’s summit and reassure allies of the United States’ support for Ukraine.
NATO leaders are expected to announce a new aid package for the war-torn country, including a minimum of $43 billion in military aid.
The allies will turn their eyes to the Pacific as well, discussing strategies for how to deal with the threats posed by China, including Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. The group will also include the threats posed by closer ties between Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.