World leaders boasted about unity on Ukraine, but Zelenskyy will be disappointed at NATO summit outcome

Mar 24, 2022

On at least one critical level, today’s summit failed.

All day in Brussels, world leaders have been talking about their commitment to Ukraine, proudly boasting about unity in public.

But in truth, President Zelenskyy, the man this summit was held to support, will be disappointed.

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Ukrainian president drops request for no-fly zone

This became evident in Boris Johnson‘s news conference, where some of the divisions and problems became pretty stark.

President Zelenskyy did something important today. He dropped his request for a no-fly zone. Instead, he asked for something very, very specific: more jets and more tanks.

In the news conference, it became clear NATO had not agreed to this.

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When I asked whether Ukraine would get the tanks and jets, Mr Johnson said: “He did indeed call for tanks and jets. There’s particular reason for that.

“President Zelenskyy wants to relieve Mariupol to help the thousands of Ukrainian fighters in the city. To that end he does need armour and we’re looking at what we can do to help.”

However, he concluded: “Logistically at the moment it looks very difficult both with armour and with jets. We’re very conscious of what he’s asking for.”

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PM ‘deflated’ come end of summit

You could see just how conflicted Mr Johnson was about this.

He appeared deflated at the end of the news conference, having gone as President Zelenskyy’s champion and then come up against a line everyone could not cross, fearing that that could drag the West into some kind much bigger conflict.

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Instead, Mr Johnson told the room that there are other types of missiles, again, defensive missiles, that might be “more immediately useful” to President Zelenskyy.

The president of Ukraine had just hours before given his answer to this to NATO leaders.

Success does not sound like President Zelenskyy being told he asked for the wrong thing.

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