 Defense &
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Defense &
National Security |
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NATO: Ukraine on 'irreversible' path to membership |
Ukraine is on an "irreversible" path to NATO membership, the 32 members of the alliance affirmed in a joint communique released Wednesday on the second day of the summit being held in Washington. |
© Kay Nietfeld, Picture Alliance via Getty Images |
Allies had negotiated for months over what language would be published in the joint communique, but discussions on specific words — including "irreversible" — had continued in D.C. throughout the first days of the summit. The word choice is meant to serve as a signal of NATO's commitment to support Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia and warn Russian President Vladimir Putin against taking action against the alliance. "This will not make NATO a party to the conflict, but it will help Ukraine uphold its right to self-defense," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a press conference following the release of the declaration. The alliance took several steps in the communique to take over coordinating support for Ukraine, an effort viewed as "Trump proofing" the alliance's support for Kyiv, over concern that former President Trump could hold back or frustrate support for Ukraine if he wins in the November election. This includes appointing a three-star general to head the coordination and provision of international security assistance, an effort currently led by the U.S. NATO will also train Ukrainian forces and manage the transfer and repair of military equipment. Ukraine had expected that it would not receive a formal invitation to join NATO at the summit this year, with allies recognizing that Kyiv cannot join the alliance while it is still in active combat, and that bureaucratic reforms and combating corruption still need to take place to bring the country in line with standards of the alliance. "As Ukraine continues its vital reforms, we'll continue to support them on an irreversible path to NATO membership. The work we're doing together now will ensure that when the time is right, Ukraine can join without delay, not a question of if, but when," Stoltenberg said. Read the full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future: |
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The Biden administration will resume shipments of 500-pound bombs to Israel, which were initially part of a package of weapons held up over concerns about their use in Gaza, where Israeli forces have been accused of using heavy munitions in densely populated areas, according to a U.S. official. The 500-pound bombs were not held up over concerns about their use in densely populated areas but were paused because they were part … |
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The U.S. and Germany on Wednesday announced the movement of more strategic weapons into Europe, including undeveloped hypersonic missile systems, as tensions continue to rise over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The White House said that in 2026, it will begin “episodic deployments” of the surface-to-air missile Standard Missile-6, Tomahawk cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons in Germany, which the U.S. said have … |
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The Senate’s version of the annual defense policy bill would ban the U.S. military from covering surgeries for transgender troops, a development made possible by Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) joining Republicans during committee votes. Added as an amendment during last month's Senate Armed Services Committee closed-door markup of the bill — known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — it would "prohibit the use … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization will wrap up its Washington Summit tomorrow with a press conference with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, at 4:30 p.m.
- President Biden is also set to hold a press conference tomorrow at the conclusion of the NATO summit.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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Johnson focuses on threats from China, support for NATO, Taiwan in major speech |
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Monday outlined his vision for a foreign policy that bridges the historical Republican view of leadership in the world with criticism from former President Trump that allies are exploiting U.S. investments in defense. Johnson, delivering his first comprehensive foreign … |
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Events in and around the defense world: |
- The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the pending nominations of Tonya Wilkerson to be undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security and Michael Sulmeyer to be assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy, at 9 a.m.
- The Atlantic Council, Center for a New American Security, German Marshall Fund, GLOBSEC, and Hudson Institute will host a 2024 NATO Public Forum, at 9 a.m.
- The Center for Strategic and International Studies will have a "South China Sea Conference," at 9 a.m.
- The Center for Strategic and International Studies will also host a virtual discussion on "What Happened, NATO Summit?" with former Assistant Defense Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Mark Lippert, at 9:30 a.m.
- The Arab Center will hold an online talk on "The Looming Israel-Hezbollah War: Prospects, Deterrence, and Impacts," at 10 a.m.
- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and retired Army Gen. Charles Jacoby, chair of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point's Modern War Institute and former commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, will speak at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on "Air and Missile Defense in the High North," at 12 p.m.
- Former White House national security adviser John Bolton will speak at a Washington Post Live virtual discussion on "NATO, Trump and the Latest in Ukraine," at 2:30 p.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Quieting Discord: A new frontier in military leaks and extremism (Military Times)
- US-built pier will be put back in Gaza for several days to move aid, then permanently removed (The Associated Press)
- Modi's Moscow visit showcases a less isolated Putin, angering Ukraine (The New York Times)
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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Barron Trump made his political debut at his father's rally on Tuesday after being largely absent from the campaign trail. "Barron Trump! This is the … Read more |
| House Republicans and a handful of Democrats on Wednesday approved a bill that seeks to expand proof-of-citizenship requirements to vote … Read more |
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Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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