Second Day of NATO Summit in Washington; Leaders Emphasize Continued Support for Ukraine and Strengthening NATO Defense Industries

On Wednesday, July 10, NATO member country leaders gathered for the second time in Washington, D.C., to discuss how to enhance the alliance's support for Ukraine. Although these discussions have been ongoing for months at lower levels, including at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting earlier this year, this meeting provided an opportunity for leaders to finalize their agreements. The second day of the NATO summit concluded with a dinner at the White House hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden. As NATO faces the biggest test in its 75-year history, Biden emphasized the strength of the alliance at the beginning of the three-day summit, stating, "It is good that we are stronger than ever, as this moment in history demands our collective strength." The U.S. President added, "Dictators want to disrupt the world order that has been in place for 80 years and remains intact. Terrorist groups continue to plot evil schemes to create chaos." Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine and his attempts to force Kyiv into submission and destroy its democracy and culture, he said, "Ukraine can stop Putin." On the first day of the summit, Biden and other NATO leaders announced that five additional air defense systems would be sent to Ukraine. On the second day, the Prime Ministers of the Netherlands and Denmark announced that their countries, with U.S. support, had begun the process of donating U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. They, along with the U.S. President, stated in a White House-released statement that Ukrainian forces would be able to use these fighter jets this summer. They also announced that Belgium and Norway had committed to sending more aircraft to Ukraine. Biden's emphasis on strengthening Ukraine's defense was also confirmed by other members of his administration. Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, mentioned specific actions that would allow NATO members to act quickly if needed and increase NATO's industrial capacity. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's Secretary-General, also urged members to "sign a new industrial-defense commitment," adding that this commitment would help make NATO's defense industries stronger and more innovative across Europe and North America. The NATO summit, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the organization's founding, began on Tuesday, July 9, in Washington and will continue until Thursday, July 11.