‘We are not the Amazon’: tensions with Ukraine come to the fore at NATO summit

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At a NATO summit this week, the allies were careful to emphasize their staunch support for Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelensky in the face of Russia’s invasion.

But tensions came to the fore when Zelensky criticized NATO for the “absurd” lack of a clear timeline for Ukraine’s entry. Referring to Kiev’s long military wish list, Britain’s Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on Wednesday: “You know, we are not Amazon.”

“Whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude,” Wallace told reporters, echoing a common sentiment among Western supporters of Ukraine, who have been fighting since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in the past. In total, military and financial assistance of $ 170 billion has been given. Year.

“Yes, the war is a great war. And yes, you (Ukraine) are fighting not just for yourself but for our freedom. (But sometimes . . . you have to convince skeptical politicians in other countries that it’s worth it and it’s worthwhile,” Wallace said.

Senior Western politicians and officials said the tensions reflect the domestic difficulties some of NATO’s 31 members face in providing the sustained support Ukraine needs – and Kiev’s frustration that offers of arms and diplomatic support have fallen short of its expectations. May be less.

The slow progress so far of Ukraine’s much-hyped spring counter-offensive has raised the risk as Kiev pushes allies to ramp up their firepower to break through Russian borders.

One problem is that Kiev’s allies have, in many cases, had to source further supplies of military equipment after their own stocks have been exhausted.
For example, Wallace said that Britain no longer had any minesweepers because it had “taken every one and given them to Kiev”.

At the same time, other countries such as the US and Germany have delayed the provision of top-level military equipment for fear that sending it to Ukraine could escalate the conflict with Russia.

One case is the F-16 fighter jets, which Ukraine has long sought for help in its faltering counteroffensive, but on which the US has now only allowed Ukrainian pilots to train.

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, “For the Ukrainians to actually use the F-16, we need another ‘yes’ from the Americans.” “We have got a ‘yes’ on training from the Americans. The next step is a US ‘yes’ to Ukrainian fighter pilots actually using the F-16 in combat. , , It’s a step-by-step approach.”

The frustrations between Ukraine and its allies are often mutual, and some in Washington in particular have come out in the open this week.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had a tense conversation on Wednesday with a Ukrainian activist who accused US President Joe Biden and NATO of not allowing Kiev into the alliance because they are afraid of Russia winning the war. He also claimed that covert efforts have been made to strike a deal with Moscow that would lead to a confrontation.

Sullivan replied that the US has provided Ukraine with “an enormous amount of capability” to help defend itself – it has sent more than $41 billion in lethal aid so far – and will continue to do so “as long as necessary”. Will keep The US has provided almost half of the total military aid of the West to Ukraine.

Sullivan dismissed the activist’s claims as “baseless and unfair” and said that Biden’s reasoning for not wanting Ukraine in NATO was clear: the US and NATO do not want to be in active conflict with Russia, and that Kiev should be democratic. and other initiatives need to be improved before joining

Tensions have risen not only between NATO and Ukraine, but sometimes within the defense pact itself. While the UK and France as well as more hardline eastern and northern countries have pushed for greater security assurances for Ukraine, the US and Germany have taken a more moderate stance.

Kaja Kailas, Prime Minister of Estonia, said the tensions reflected the fact that NATO allies were serious about their security pledges, and did not want to make promises they would not keep – no matter how frustrating it was for Ukraine. Are.

“People are not putting things on hold. I really think everyone is ready to help Ukraine as much as possible,” he told the Financial Times.

Heated debates. , , Show that the great allies take it very seriously. It’s not just words, they want to back up words with deeds.” “And that’s why we’re really, really looking at what we can and can’t do right now.

“I understand they (Ukrainians) may be disappointed, because they want peace. They want peace like we have in NATO.

European diplomats who have been in close contact with Ukrainian officials this week have also tried to reassure them that their own governments are fully committed to maintaining support for Kiev, even if the NATO summit falls short of their expectations. said people familiar with the conversation.

Such reassurances, coupled with G7 and other bilateral security guarantees, seemed to be working – as by Wednesday afternoon, the luminous Zelensky from 24 hours earlier had made a surprising change in tone.

Before heading to the opening meeting of the new NATO-Ukraine Council, Zelensky said he was “grateful to President Biden and to the Congress and the people of the United States of America, who are de facto leaders in support and assistance to Ukraine”.

After the council meeting, Zelensky described the summit as “an important security victory for Ukraine, for our country, for our people, for our children”. He added, “I am very grateful.”

Get free updates from the war in Ukraine

we will send you one myFT Daily Digest Latest Email Rounding war in ukraine News every morning.

At a NATO summit this week, the allies were careful to emphasize their staunch support for Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelensky in the face of Russia’s invasion.

But tensions came to the fore when Zelensky criticized NATO for the “absurd” lack of a clear timeline for Ukraine’s entry. Referring to Kiev’s long military wish list, Britain’s Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on Wednesday: “You know, we are not Amazon.”

“Whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude,” Wallace told reporters, echoing a common sentiment among Western supporters of Ukraine, who have been fighting since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in the past. In total, military and financial assistance of $ 170 billion has been given. Year.

“Yes, the war is a great war. And yes, you (Ukraine) are fighting not just for yourself but for our freedom. (But sometimes . . . you have to convince skeptical politicians in other countries that it’s worth it and it’s worthwhile,” Wallace said.

Senior Western politicians and officials said the tensions reflect the domestic difficulties some of NATO’s 31 members face in providing the sustained support Ukraine needs – and Kiev’s frustration that offers of arms and diplomatic support have fallen short of its expectations. May be less.

The slow progress so far of Ukraine’s much-hyped spring counter-offensive has raised the risk as Kiev pushes allies to ramp up their firepower to break through Russian borders.

One problem is that Kiev’s allies have, in many cases, had to source further supplies of military equipment after their own stocks have been exhausted.
For example, Wallace said that Britain no longer had any minesweepers because it had “taken every one and given them to Kiev”.

At the same time, other countries such as the US and Germany have delayed the provision of top-level military equipment for fear that sending it to Ukraine could escalate the conflict with Russia.

One case is the F-16 fighter jets, which Ukraine has long sought for help in its faltering counteroffensive, but on which the US has now only allowed Ukrainian pilots to train.

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, “For the Ukrainians to actually use the F-16, we need another ‘yes’ from the Americans.” “We have got a ‘yes’ on training from the Americans. The next step is a US ‘yes’ to Ukrainian fighter pilots actually using the F-16 in combat. , , It’s a step-by-step approach.”

The frustrations between Ukraine and its allies are often mutual, and some in Washington in particular have come out in the open this week.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had a tense conversation on Wednesday with a Ukrainian activist who accused US President Joe Biden and NATO of not allowing Kiev into the alliance because they are afraid of Russia winning the war. He also claimed that covert efforts have been made to strike a deal with Moscow that would lead to a confrontation.

Sullivan replied that the US has provided Ukraine with “an enormous amount of capability” to help defend itself – it has sent more than $41 billion in lethal aid so far – and will continue to do so “as long as necessary”. Will keep The US has provided almost half of the total military aid of the West to Ukraine.

Sullivan dismissed the activist’s claims as “baseless and unfair” and said that Biden’s reasoning for not wanting Ukraine in NATO was clear: the US and NATO do not want to be in active conflict with Russia, and that Kiev should be democratic. and other initiatives need to be improved before joining

Tensions have risen not only between NATO and Ukraine, but sometimes within the defense pact itself. While the UK and France as well as more hardline eastern and northern countries have pushed for greater security assurances for Ukraine, the US and Germany have taken a more moderate stance.

Kaja Kailas, Prime Minister of Estonia, said the tensions reflected the fact that NATO allies were serious about their security pledges, and did not want to make promises they would not keep – no matter how frustrating it was for Ukraine. Are.

“People are not putting things on hold. I really think everyone is ready to help Ukraine as much as possible,” he told the Financial Times.

Heated debates. , , Show that the great allies take it very seriously. It’s not just words, they want to back up words with deeds.” “And that’s why we’re really, really looking at what we can and can’t do right now.

“I understand they (Ukrainians) may be disappointed, because they want peace. They want peace like we have in NATO.

European diplomats who have been in close contact with Ukrainian officials this week have also tried to reassure them that their own governments are fully committed to maintaining support for Kiev, even if the NATO summit falls short of their expectations. said people familiar with the conversation.

Such reassurances, coupled with G7 and other bilateral security guarantees, seemed to be working – as by Wednesday afternoon, the luminous Zelensky from 24 hours earlier had made a surprising change in tone.

Before heading to the opening meeting of the new NATO-Ukraine Council, Zelensky said he was “grateful to President Biden and to the Congress and the people of the United States of America, who are de facto leaders in support and assistance to Ukraine”.

After the council meeting, Zelensky described the summit as “an important security victory for Ukraine, for our country, for our people, for our children”. He added, “I am very grateful.”