Blinken previews 'robust package' for Ukraine with NATO secretary general

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday he anticipates that NATO countries will unveil a “robust package” of support to Ukraine at next month’s summit, speaking in Washington alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Blinken said he anticipates a package that includes “both political and practical support for Ukraine” including funding to “reinforce our defense investments.”

The military bloc’s July summit in Lithuania comes as Western countries remain divided on “nearly every element” of how to respond to Ukraine’s request for security guarantees against Russia, as well as its bid for NATO membership, European diplomats told POLITICO over the weekend.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has teed up the upcoming summit as an informal deadline for more clarity around their expectations for binding commitments and path toward NATO.

Stoltenberg, speaking after Blinken, said the alliance will “agree to sustain and step up the support for Ukraine,” which includes a “stronger commitment to increase defense spending.” He also defended Europe’s contribution to Kyiv, and said “European allies are also doing their part, with tens of billions of economic military support.”

Both leaders also reaffirmed their support for Sweden joining NATO, with Blinken declaring “It is the time.”

Stoltenberg, who has served as secretary general since 2014, is credited with managing NATO’s alignment on Russia, but the alliance has struggled to present a cohesive front on security guarantees for Ukraine, despite remaining steadfast in their opposition to Moscow’s invasion.

The NATO secretary general is also slated to speak with President Joe Biden later Tuesday. The meeting was originally scheduled for Monday, but the White House pushed the meeting back by a day after the president underwent an unexpected root canal procedure.