On Thursday, President Biden returned to the White House after a week-long diplomatic trip to Europe. With the war in Ukraine looming in the background, NATO allies are looking for ways to advance Ukraine’s effort to drag out Russian troops from its territory.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could not obtain the clear pathway to NATO membership he was looking for, allies restated their commitment to support Ukraine in this conflict.
“Mr. Zelensky and I talked about the kind of guarantees we could make in the meantime,” said Biden, during the 2023 NATO Summit held in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania. “So today, the long-term commitments we’re making are backed up by the notion that in the meantime, we’re going to provide security to Ukraine for its needs and against any aggression that may occur.”
Although the conflict in Ukraine remained central during the summit, Sweden also obtained a crucial diplomatic victory as Turkey ended its block to their bid for NATO membership. This was achieved after negotiations with the United States landed a potential sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey’s military.
Allies also discussed the growing threat of China’s expansion.
“The Chinese government’s increasingly coercive behavior abroad and repressive policies at home challenge NATO’s security, values and interests,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in a statement.
NATO members fear that the escalating tensions with Taiwan could result in conflict in Southeast Asia.
As the Biden administration prepares for what will probably be a challenging 2024 presidential election, Biden and his team are looking to strike diplomatic victories as well as asserting his position as an involved leader in global affairs.
