VILNIUS: President Joe Biden accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having a “craven lust for land and power” at the end of a NATO summit on Wednesday (Jul 12) where Ukraine won new security assurances from the US and its allies for its defence against Moscow.
Members of the world’s most powerful military bloc offered the prospect of long-term protection a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy decried as “absurd” a refusal to offer an invitation or timetable for Ukraine’s entry into NATO.
Ukraine has been pushing for rapid membership while fighting a Russian invasion unleashed in February 2022 that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
Instead, a declaration by the G7 group of the world’s most industrialised countries launched a framework for bilateral negotiations to provide military and financial support, intelligence sharing and a promise of immediate steps if Russia should attack again.
“Our support will last long into the future. It’s a powerful statement of our commitment to Ukraine,” Biden said alongside Zelenskyy and leaders of the G7, which is made up of the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
Later in a speech at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Biden said Putin had badly underestimated the resolve of the US-led military alliance.
“NATO is stronger, more energized and yes, more united than ever in its history. Indeed, more vital to our shared future. It didn’t happen by accident. It wasn’t inevitable,” Biden said.
“When Putin, and his craven lust for land and power, unleashed his brutal war on Ukraine, he was betting NATO would break apart. He thought NATO would break. He thought our unity would shatter at the first testing. He thought democratic leaders would be weak. But he thought wrong.”
Swallowing his disappointment over the lack of a membership timetable, Zelenskyy called the outcome a “meaningful success” following a flurry of announcements of military aid for Kyiv.
“Today there are security guarantees for Ukraine on the way to NATO,” he said. “The Ukraine delegation is bringing home a significant security victory for Ukraine.”
Nevertheless, Zelenskyy pressed for more and said he would raise Ukraine’s need for long-range weapons at a meeting with Biden at the summit.
“We can state that the results of the summit are good, but if there was an invitation, they would be ideal,” he added.
At the bilateral meeting, Biden promised Zelenskyy the US was doing everything it could to meet Ukraine’s needs and acknowledged Zelenskyy’s frustration about the scale and speed of support.
“Your resilience and your resolve has been a model for the whole world to see,” Biden said. “I look forward to the day when we’re having the meeting celebrating your official, official membership in NATO.”
“The bad news for you is, we’re not going anywhere. You’re stuck with us,” Biden joked, prompting laughter from Zelenskyy.
Asked by a reporter how soon after the war he would like Ukraine to join NATO, Biden responded “an hour and 20 minutes”.
Source: CNA
