WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
At NATO summit, allies move to counter Russia, bolster Ukraine
The United States will start deploying longer range missiles in Germany in 2026, the two countries announced at a meeting of the NATO alliance on Tuesday, a major step aimed at countering what the allies say is a growing threat Russia poses to Europe.
The decision will send Germany the most potent U.S. weapons to be based on the European continent since the Cold War, in a clear warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A U.S.-German statement said the "episodic deployments" were in preparation for longer-term stationing in Europe of capabilities that would include SM-6, Tomahawk and developmental hypersonic weapons with greater range.
The move would have been banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1987 but that collapsed in 2019.
"We cannot discount the possibility of an attack against Allies’ sovereignty and territorial integrity," the allies said in a communique released on Wednesday.
More aid was headed to Ukraine as the allies bolster Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
A communique said the allies intend to provide Ukraine with at least 40 billion euros ($43.28 billion) in military aid within the next year, but stopped short of the multi-year commitment NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had sought.
The document also strengthened past NATO language on China, calling it a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war effort in Ukraine and saying Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.
Stoltenberg told reporters it was the first time the 32 allies had jointly labeled China a decisive enabler of Russia’s war and called it an important message.
He said NATO was not an organization that imposes sanctions, but added: “At the end of the day, this will be for individual allies to make decisions, but I think the message we send from NATO from this summit is very clear.”
The communique called on China to cease material and political support for Russia's war effort and expressed concern about China's space capabilities, referenced rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal, and urged Beijing to engage in strategic risk reduction talks.
NATO, 'THE GREATEST ALLIANCE"
Biden hosted NATO partners and allies at a dinner at the White House on Wednesday to celebrate what he called "the greatest alliance the world has ever known."
Biden said in a speech on Tuesday that NATO was "stronger than it's ever been" and that Ukraine can and will stop Russian leader Putin "with our full, collective support."
On Wednesday, he said he was pleased all NATO members were pledging to expand their industrial bases and to develop plans for defense production at home.
"We cannot allow the alliance to fall behind," Biden said. "We can and will defend every inch of NATO territory and we'll do it together."
At the White House, Biden and new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had a back-and-forth exchange and shared laughs and congratulations over England's 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 soccer tournament.
Biden described the United Kingdom as the "knot" tying together the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance and said that the two countries must continue to cooperate.
He also met at the summit venue with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Finland's President Alexander Stubb to discuss strengthening their trilateral cooperation on economic issues and on defense industrial production.
Biden, 81, has faced questions about his fitness for office after fumbling a June 27 debate and hopes the NATO spotlight will help him stage a comeback of sorts, surrounded by allied leaders he has spent his three years in office cultivating.
However, November's U.S. presidential election could presage a sharp change in Washington's support for Ukraine and NATO. Republican candidate Donald Trump, 78, has questioned the amount of aid given to Ukraine to fight Russia's invasion and U.S. support for allies generally.
TRUMP WEIGHS IN
On Wednesday, Trump told Fox News Radio he would not pull the U.S. out of NATO but reiterated that he wanted members to pay more. "I just want them to pay their bills. We're protecting Europe. They take advantage of us very badly," he said.
Trump had pressed congressional Republicans to stall military aid for Ukraine before later reversing course.
Uncertainty about U.S. leadership has unsettled NATO allies.
"If there’s one thing that I’m concerned about with the United States, it’s the polarization of the political climate - it is, I have to admit, very toxic," Finland's Stubb told reporters.
While Biden has been seeking to rally allies and domestic support, several high-ranking European officials met a top foreign policy adviser to Trump during the summit.
The communique says the alliance will continue to support Ukraine "on its irreversible path to full Euro-atlantic integration, including NATO membership". That language had been a major point of contention among the allies.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Russian forces wipe out three US-made Hawk missile launchers in Ukraine operation
Russian forces destroyed an American radar station and three US-made Hawk surface-to-air missile launchers over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces destroyed an American AN/MPQ-46 radar station, three US-made Improved Hawk surface-to-air missile launchers, warehouses storing Ukrainian naval drones and struck massed enemy manpower and military equipment in 131 areas," the ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s Battlegroup North strikes six Ukrainian brigades in Kharkov area over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup North struck six Ukrainian army brigades and inflicted roughly 275 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup North units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 31st mechanized, 34th and 36th marine infantry, 113th and 127th territorial defense and 13th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Volchansk, Maliye Prokhody, Borshchevaya, Vilcha, Glubokoye and Liptsy in the Kharkov Region. During the last 24-hour period, they repelled two counterattacks by formations of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd assault brigade and 42nd separate assault battalion," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 275 personnel, a Kazak armored combat vehicle, two motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and an Anklav-N electronic warfare station, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr wipes out Ukrainian artillery ammo depot over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroyed a Ukrainian artillery ammunition depot and inflicted roughly 85 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
During the last 24-hour period, Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd mechanized and 35th marine infantry brigades in areas near the settlements of Antonovka, Tokarevka and Sadovoye in the Kherson Region, the ministry specified.
"The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 85 personnel, four motor vehicles and two 152mm D-20 artillery guns," it said.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed an artillery ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russian air defenses down Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet over past day
Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet, four ATACMS tactical missiles, four Hammer smart bombs and 55 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 aircraft, 55 unmanned aerial vehicles, four US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, three US-made HIMARS rockets and four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs," the ministry said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 627 Ukrainian warplanes, 277 helicopters, 27,496 unmanned aerial vehicles, 545 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,539 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,373 multiple rocket launchers, 11,685 field artillery guns and mortars and 23,515 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.
Reuters/Tass
