Leaders of some of the closest U.S. allies are in Washington this week for the NATO summit. The meeting is a crucial test for Ukraine as it fights to hold off Russia's invasion.
Ukraine is opening up its own office in Washington to promote its needs to the U.S. government and defense companies. This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with House Speaker Mike Johnson on Capitol Hill Wednesday, and is set to meet with President Biden as well.
In an address at the Reagan Center on Tuesday, Zelenskyy urged faster action from the United States, asking lawmakers not to delay until November's elections and warning without mentioning him by name that the election of Donald Trump presented a risk to his country.
"I want to be candid and frank. Now everyone is waiting for November. Americans are waiting for November. In Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific — the whole world is looking to November. And truly speaking, Putin awaits November, too," Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine is set to receive F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands, which are expected to help the country meet Russian aggression in the air.
Ukraine's pilots have been training on simulators, learning English and brushing up on the logistics required to maintain the advanced aircraft.
Zelenskyy on Wednesday thanked allies for the new aircraft, but warned that the delivery may not immediately swing things in the defenders' favor. Ukraine may need 100 such fighters to begin to match Russia's air presence.
NATO, meanwhile, is expected to use its meeting to help launch a new support program for Ukraine, which will streamline military aid and prepare Ukraine to eventually join the alliance.
NATO's plan, which will be presented for leaders' approval on Thursday, will provision a U.S. Army garrison in Germany, where hundreds of staff will work to improve logistics and deliveries for Ukraine.
NATO also plans to send more than $40 billion to Ukraine over the next year, "to provide sustainable levels of security assistance for Ukraine to prevail."
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