A slew of emergency summits Thursday could help determine the next phase of Western response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, which US officials warn is entering an uncertain but bloody stretch.
Announcements on new stations, NATO force posture and military assistance are all expected as part of the diplomatic burst, according to US and European officials.
Representatives from the White House and European governments spent days leading up to the summit in intensive conversations finalizing steps for leaders to unveil following their talks.
What they won’t do is what embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked: Enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
US and NATO officials have repeatedly said that such a move would risk provoking President Vladimir Putin and sparking a wider war with Russia.
Western allies have also found it difficult to take more aggressive steps, such as providing Russian-made fighter jets to Ukraine or deciding to cut themselves off from Russian energy supplies, which could potentially cripple Russia’s economy.
(CNN)