NATO leaders gather in Washington amid questions over Joe Biden's future

2024-07-09 19:27:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

NATO leaders gather in Washington amid questions over Joe Biden's future

Illustrative photo

Joe Biden welcomes for three days in a row to Washington the leaders of the NATO alliance, which has just expanded with two new members, in a high-level meeting that is expected to define plans for the defense of Ukraine as well as, as they say some analysts "to protect him from Donald Trump" if Mr. Biden loses the election, amid growing questions about his future. However, as Voice of America correspondent Anita Powell reports, the White House says that NATO allies are not worried about the political future of the American President.

The big question for the Alliance is: How long can Ukraine resist?

Another question facing the NATO allies and the Americans in this high-level meeting is the political future of President Joe Biden, who ranks himself among the biggest supporters of Ukraine.

On Monday, the 81-year-old president said he would continue the race, amid growing calls for him to step down after a poor showing in last month's presidential debate.

A day earlier, the White House dismissed questions that NATO allies are concerned that these leadership rifts could create uncertainty for the 75-year-old alliance as its leaders gather in Washington.

"We are not receiving any signal of such a thing from any of our allies, on the contrary. From previous communications they are enthusiastic about this meeting. For the opportunities it offers and what we are all doing together, especially to help Ukraine," said John Kirby, White House spokesman.

Analysts say NATO leaders are indeed concerned, but they are being careful not to get involved in domestic American politics.

"I think there is a concern in NATO. The leaders of NATO countries may have different opinions about Joe Biden, but if we go back to Mr. Trump's administration, he (Donald Trump) took a number of positions that were really against NATO. Most of the NATO countries would prefer Biden, not necessarily because they are so much in favor of him, but because of Mr. Trump's statements and warnings about NATO. But they hesitate to publicly express such a thing, because it seems as if they are interfering in the American elections, something they should not do", says Richard Stoll from "Rice" University.

But there are also cracks among other leaders in the ranks of the alliance. The far-right Hungarian prime minister recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he would serve as a "bridge" of communication between Kiev and Moscow. At this high-level meeting, the 32-member organization is expected to take over the coordination of aid for the defense of Ukraine, a role that Washington has so far played.

"In these two and a half years, there have been fewer and fewer political actors who are able to communicate with the two parties involved in the conflict," said Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary.

One thing is unlikely to happen during this high-level meeting: a ceasefire.

President Putin says Ukraine is not "ready" to discuss the terms, which he says include the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the four regions that Russia has annexed. Ukraine seeks a "just peace" that includes its entire territory.

President Zelenskyy will participate in the high-level meeting to promote this position, as well as Ukraine's membership in NATO./ VOA