NATO promises to Ukraine fall short of expectations for 2024 counteroffensive — NYT
The announced assistance of the Alliance in the context of the summit mainly concerns long-term support.
Despite the billions in arms and security aid announced this week, NATO officials believe Ukraine will not be able to launch a counteroffensive until early next year. About this informs The New York Times.
Deliveries of missiles, combat vehicles, ammunition and air defense equipment from the US and Europe will take weeks, if not months, before they reach the front. In addition, some of the weapons have not yet been purchased or manufactured. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the long-awaited F-16 fighter jets will arrive in Ukraine this summer. However, they will be used mainly for defense, since the issue of the use of aircraft in the airspace of the Russian Federation is still being discussed.
Most of the promises made at the NATO summit are of a long-term nature and are aimed at ensuring Ukraine’s security for decades to come. They include the creation of a new coordination center for weapons and training under the auspices of NATO in Germany, as well as the allocation of 40 billion euros in aid in 2025.
The high-ranking NATO official noted that this support will help Ukraine to prepare for repelling Russia next year. At the same time, another representative of the US Department of Defense added that Ukrainian troops will remain on the defensive for the next six months, fighting constantly, which will not allow them to achieve significant advantages.
