The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit is expected to place the Ukraine war solution back at the forefront of discussions. With a focus on strengthening Ukraine's air defense, increasing pressure on Russia, and exploring peace negotiations, this meeting could serve as a pivotal moment in the prolonged conflict.
On July 6, President Trump stated during the official launch of his 'Trump Account' at the White House that the Russia-Ukraine war is "closer to ending than people think," adding, "He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) seems to feel pressure. He wants to end this situation, and Ukraine wants to end it too."
Trump emphasized that he believes the war can be concluded during the NATO summit. He is scheduled to depart for Turkey that evening and will hold a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 8.
Earlier, on July 5, Trump spoke separately with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy to discuss potential solutions to end the war. Russia has also left the door open for U.S. mediation. The Kremlin described the U.S.-Russia talks as "constructive," with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating, "Russia remains open to peace negotiations with Ukraine." However, Russia has stipulated that its fundamental positions must be reflected, leaving the outcome of mediation efforts uncertain.
Ukraine's Air Defense
In addition to peace discussions, strengthening Ukraine's air defense is expected to be a key agenda item at the NATO summit. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that "Ukraine urgently needs to enhance its air defense capabilities," confirming that this issue will be addressed at the NATO summit.
She criticized Russia for deploying over 400 drones and missiles to attack the Ukrainian capital and reaffirmed plans for additional support for Ukraine and a 21st sanctions package targeting Russia.
President Zelenskyy has identified air defense as Ukraine's most significant vulnerability. In an interview with the Financial Times ahead of the NATO summit, he stated, "We have moved into the air domain, and we are already competitive in the air, but ballistic missile defense is Ukraine's biggest weakness in this equation."
Ukraine aims to transform this summit from a mere discussion of additional support into a turning point for war solutions. Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., told Foreign Policy that "this year is not about political agreements regarding Ukraine's NATO membership, but rather the clear fact that NATO's collective defense is no longer possible without Ukraine."
She explained that Ukraine is expanding its long-range drone attacks targeting deep into Russian territory as a form of 'long-range sanctions' to weaken Russia's war funding. She added, "The fact that many people across Russia have directly experienced attacks indicates that the range of decision-makers regarding the end of the war is broadening beyond President Putin."
Stefanishyna expressed hope that the negotiation framework established during the peace talks between the U.S. and Iran could be applied to the Ukraine issue. She noted, "A very strong institutional framework was created in managing the Iran situation, and that structure could be replicated for Ukraine at the appropriate time."
However, as the summit approaches, the situation on the ground is intensifying. Ukraine demonstrated its long-range attack capabilities by striking the Omsk oil refinery, located about 2,700 kilometers from the border. In response, Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone assault targeting Kyiv, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 civilians.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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