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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has closed a two-day meeting in Turkey with a pledge of 70 billion euros ($80bn) to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia as the President of the United States Donald Trump prepares for the prospect of a future peace agreement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy he contacted the leaders from all 32 countries in Ankara, where they took part in a press conference in Kyiv and met with Trump.
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In a statement released as the meetings ended, NATO said the allies “stand united in our unwavering support to Ukraine in the defense of its independence, sovereignty, and integrity”.
“In 2026, the Allies have pledged €70 billion in military equipment, aid and training to Ukraine and confirmed their commitment to achieve the same level in 2027,” he said.
Long-term aid – much of which now comes from Europe and Canada – “must be consistent, predictable, and sustainable”, it added.
The commitment came as Trump appeared eager to support Ukraine as he spoke to reporters alongside Zelenskyy, his biggest departure. the most popular break last year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a “difficult character”, Trump said before speaking to Zelenskyy and said that he is also a “difficult character”.
“It’s not easy, it’s not easy,” said the president of the United States about the peace process that took place. “There’s a lot of commitment, and there’s a lot of international love and everything else. But I think we’ve made a lot of progress in the last few weeks.”
Trump also appeared to offer support to Ukraine in the form of US Patriot missile systems, which Zelenskyy recently asked for permission to build.
“We’re going to give them the freedom to make the Patriots. We’re going to show them how to do it,” Trump said. “I think they can make it very quickly.”
Zelenskyy told the room: “We are grateful, as always, for America’s support.”
Regarding negotiations with Russia, Zelenskyy said: “We know what to do to bring peace”.
“I hope you will do everything you can to end this war,” said the President of the United States.
Bilateral agreements
The President of Ukraine spent the two days of the meeting traveling between about 20 meetings of the two countries, in order to increase the number of European countries and their allies.
On Wednesday, he and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen discussed the “next steps and possible time frame” to sign the drone agreement, Zelenskyy wrote on social media, while also thanking South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for the $100m contribution and praising Italy for “always (supporting) in the way of protecting life”.
Zelenskyy said late on Tuesday that he had found out new contracts and Estonia, the Netherlands and Denmark in Ankara and more drones are expected by Germany, Norway, Finland and Canada.
Zelenskyy did not specify what the agreements would entail. Ukraine usually does not release the wording of such an agreement.
Ed Arnold, senior fellow for international security at the Royal United Services Institute, told Al Jazeera that Ukraine’s NATO membership is “not in the cards” despite Zelenskyy’s campaign.
“This is about strong military power to keep Ukraine at war,” Arnold said.
A continuous attack
Russia has continued pump Ukraine at the whole NATO meeting.
Russian missiles in Kyiv on Wednesday killed at least three people and injured 14, nine of whom were hospitalized, Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote in the Telegraph. One of those hospitalized was a 17-year-old boy.
Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov, meanwhile, said the number of Ukrainians injured from Russia in the Nemyshlianskyi region has increased to 34.
The attacks “underscore President Zelenskyy’s message to Ankara – air defense is needed”, Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine said in Kyiv.
Ukraine’s military has never used the latest Russian weapons, which made Ukraine’s “Achilles heel … unable to deal with air threats”, MacAlpine added.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones have struck a Russian military base, attacking three oil refineries and a pipeline.
Arnold said the long-term strike on Ukraine had made it “stronger”.
“The most impressive thing is what they’ve been able to do with … following Russia’s strategy, their fighting skills, and they’re doing it well,” he added.
