Putin’s assumption that he will outlast NATO support for Ukraine is “completely wrong,” allies say

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NATO allies want to make it clear to Moscow that support for Ukraine is of a permanent nature and that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “completely wrong” in assuming that his support will last beyond this period.

The heads of state and government of the 32 NATO countries have gathered in Washington DC to mark the alliance’s 75th anniversary. New announcements on Ukraine’s air defense, including Patriot missiles, are expected.

But the summit does not represent a turning point for Ukraine on its path to the alliance – and there will be no invitation to Kyiv.

In addition, there will be military contributions of 40 billion euros for the coming year and the establishment of a training and security support mission for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Everything is aimed at “institutionalizing” the alliance or building a bridge for Ukraine to join when “the moment is right,” NATO sources say.

The newly created initiative, provisionally named NSATU (NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine), is intended to become the Alliance’s main forum for training and coordination of arms deliveries.

It will be based in Germany and will be led by a three-star general with over 700 staff.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be in Washington DC to hold several bilateral meetings. He will also co-host a special event with US President Joe Biden for allies and non-NATO partners who have signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine.

Michael Carpenter, senior director for Europe at the US National Security Council, told reporters that in addition to the planned announcements of new military contributions to Ukraine, the alliance would also consolidate its support for the long term.

We would “send a strong signal to Putin: If he thinks he can outlast the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine, he is dead wrong,” Carpenter said.

“Allies will establish a new NATO military command in Germany that will leverage NATO’s institutional strengths to coordinate training and equipment and help Ukraine develop future forces,” Carpenter added.

Russia’s attacks “horrific, tragic, senseless”

The necessary institutionalization of support for Ukraine aims to provide predictable and stable military equipment and avoid future shortages that have proven disastrous on the battlefield in recent months.

It is also a plan by outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to ensure that support for Ukraine remains an integral part of NATO’s priorities and mission, especially if Donald Trump or another government hostile to pro-Ukrainian efforts comes to power.

Although there is no consensus on when and how Ukraine’s possible accession could occur, several countries, including the United States, want to ensure that the Alliance expresses its intention that Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to membership.

In fact, “there will be no real invitation to membership; instead we are putting together measures to build a bridge to membership,” a NATO source told Euronews.

“We need to say something new; we need to try to find the right words to offer more than last year. This does not change our commitment and we will, when time allows, invite Ukraine to join,” said another source from a NATO country.

Carpenter said the summit’s closing language would recognize Ukraine’s ongoing reform efforts and demonstrate allies’ support for the country on its path to NATO membership.

The summit takes place after a Russian missile attack on a children’s hospital in Kyiv on Monday.

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The United States, which is chairing the summit, called for a war crimes investigation into the attack after images emerged of nurses, doctors and parents holding children suffering from cancer or post-surgery.

NATO sources believe this was a deliberate message ahead of the summit, as Putin often tries to overshadow international events with provocative displays of “strength.”

Pictures of utter despair emerged from Ohmatdyt Hospital in the Ukrainian capital, where at least two people were killed and numerous others injured.

“You can use any adjective to describe an attack on a children’s hospital. From a human perspective, it is horrific, tragic, senseless and must be seriously investigated,” Carpenter said.