The summit has been a test of Biden’s promise to repair America’s international relationships, which include the 31-country mutual defense pact forged in the aftermath of World War II.
VILNIUS, Lithuania — President Joe Biden will seek to boost his image as an international coalition builder in a speech Wednesday, following two days of high-stakes meetings with leaders at a NATO summit.
The summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, was a test of Biden’s promise upon taking office to repair America’s international relationships, which include NATO, a 31-country mutual defense pact forged in the aftermath of World War II. Top of the agenda was Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has raged on NATO’s doorstep for close to 18 months.
A White House official previewed Biden’s remarks at Vilnius University Wednesday, promising a “memorable” speech that would highlight “the strength of the NATO alliance and how it remains a force for global security and stability.”
“The president will talk about how the widespread support for Ukraine is reflective of the value of our alliances and partnerships, which he has revitalized since taking office,” White House National Security Council Europe Director Amanda Sloat said.
The president will make the case for NATO’s “vital” role, a hard-won outcome “that didn’t happen by accident,” Sloat said.
“Vladimir Putin thought he could break our resolve when he invaded Ukraine, but our NATO allies and our partners around the world responded by coming together to support the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom, their independence, and their democracy,” she added.
But more than 15 years after NATO first promised Ukraine a future membership, the alliance’s long-sought security guarantees remain vexingly out of reach.
Kyiv has campaigned for a fast track into the defensive alliance, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mounting a full-court press for NATO membership in the lead-up and into the summit. Zelenskyy’s outreach saw him hopscotch across European capitals in search of the unanimous approval that expansion demands.
And it has tested the alliance, as its leaders echoed a plea by Zelenskyy that Ukraine “deserves” membership.
In remarks before a packed crowd in Vilnius one day before the American president, Zelenskyy promised that “Ukraine will make NATO stronger.”
Pressure to speed access for Ukraine had grown deafening as the summit opened with the news that Sweden would soon be added after a sudden reversal by hold-out member state, Turkey.
But disappointment hung in the air for Ukraine and its fiercest supporters, leaving the White House to answer questions over Washington’s role in a communique that Zelensky called “absurd” for its failure to offer his country a tangible pathway into NATO.
“Uncertainty is weakness,” Zelensky said on the eve of the speech.
Hours before Biden was set to meet with the Ukrainian leader and other allies, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the war-torn Eastern European nation was still seeking clarity over its future membership in NATO.