Nato-summit-First-F-16-fighter-jets-will_83
Nato-summit-First-F-16-fighter-jets-will_83
Transcript
00:00Well, let's take a closer look at what's been happening at the summit and in his speech to the gathering u.s.
00:05President Joe Biden praised nations as they committed to spend more on defense and strengthen military capabilities
00:12Mr. Biden said NATO was capable of defending every inch of its territory
00:17Well, let's go straight to my colleague Helena Humphrey who is at that summit in the American capital for us
00:23Well, first of all, Helena just bring us up to date on what exactly has been discussed today
00:30But really today was the first big day of business some high-level meetings with world leaders
00:37NATO partner countries as well all coming together
00:41Significant announcement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that those
00:46F-16 fighter jets will be provided by NATO allies something Ukraine has been calling for for a long time
00:52Ukrainian pilots have been here in the United States receiving training on them. That's off the back of that announcement for Patriot
01:00missiles as well Patriot
01:03battery systems as well as well as tactical air defense systems on top of that some key comments to watch from the likes of
01:10NATO Secretary-General
01:12Jens Stoltenberg who is going to be leaving the post soon on the 1st of October saying
01:16China is the enabler of this war specifically referencing reports of China
01:22supplying microelectronics to Russia to be used in the manufacture of weapons there so that Russia continues its
01:29war chest it continues to have
01:31Weaponries and then also with regards to Ukraine and its role in NATO
01:35We know that it wants to be a member we've heard from the Finnish president today
01:39Alexander Stubb saying that its position in NATO and that extension that invitation should be one when it comes
01:46That is irreversible and you were just talking about, you know
01:50This being a really big day in Washington
01:52Just talking more about that and that split screen that we've got with the NATO summit here
01:56And then of course what we're seeing on Capitol Hill those comments that we've been hearing from the likes of Nancy Pelosi
02:02the former Speaker of the House
02:04Influential Democrat who says that President Biden needs to make up his mind soon whether he is staying in the race
02:10I mean the counterpoint to that is is that President Biden has said he's adamant
02:14He is staying in the race despite those drip drip drip of Democrats calling on him to step out after
02:22That debate performance which some of them say appears to be concerning and then just taking it one step further
02:28US actor George Clooney a large
02:32Democratic donor also writing an opinion editorial saying I love Joe Biden
02:37But we need to have a new nominee
02:40So I think that's also providing the backdrop to much of the conversation here
02:45just one point to bring you some breaking news and that is that
02:48Joe Biden will be sitting down for another interview this with Lester Holtz the anchor of NBC News
02:55Coming off the back of that interview that he had with ABC's George
03:00Stephanopoulos, I think it's fair to say this interview opportunity coming up at a time when no performance so far has managed to quell any
03:07Of these concerns at least among some Democrats about his fitness for staying in the race
03:13Okay, Helen Humphrey with all the latest on all those different angles from Washington
03:17Thank you for the moment
03:18And of course, we will in a moment be discussing more about President Biden and those growing calls for him to step aside
03:25but let's stay with the NATO summit and
03:28Discuss what's been agreed today and let's speak to Anya Manuel
03:34She's the executive director of the Aspen strategy group a bipartisan at US foreign policy forum based in
03:41DC this is the 75th anniversary of the NATO
03:46Alliance, but it comes at a time where some people are questioning the usefulness and the future of that Alliance
03:52Where do you see it fitting into the current global map at the moment?
03:58Thanks for having me Regina NATO has never been more relevant or more useful. I mean it is
04:06largely unsung but the amount of coordination
04:10Cooperation being on the same page and how much aid is being provided to Ukraine really should be
04:17Celebrated. I also think a really important thing is happening this week at the summit
04:22Which is that they are announcing a new command in V spot in Germany
04:26That's going to coordinate the provision of that military equipment to Ukraine. That's really important because it
04:34Future-proofs the Alliance if you will and keeps it out of the vagaries of politics
04:38You've all just had your election in the UK
04:41we have one coming up in the US the French have just had their election and
04:45Just putting that aid to Ukraine on a firmer footing is important
04:49And as you just reported Jens Stoltenberg the outgoing
04:54head of NATO talking about how
04:57Increasingly relevant the Alliance is in the Indo-Pacific as well
05:00You talk about Ukraine and of course NATO has aspirations to become part of the Alliance
05:07How close if at all is Ukraine to becoming some some part of it in say the next couple of years?
05:15Yeah, I know there's a lot of talk in Washington about how exactly to word it as part of this summit
05:20I don't know where they're gonna come out on that but for all intents and purposes
05:25This Alliance is defending Ukraine and they are right to do this
05:29This is a relatively small the aid we're giving to Ukraine is a relatively small part of all of our defense
05:37Budgets, no NATO soldiers are standing in harm's way. The Ukrainians are fighting
05:43valiantly and
05:45They're doing real damage to the Russians. It's a very formidable
05:49opponent
05:50But we need to make sure that Ukraine stays in the fight and that Russia is ultimately defeated
05:55And you let's zoom out a bit and look again at the future of NATO
06:01It could be that Donald Trump re-enters the White House. Of course, we don't know until November and that election
06:07But mr
06:08Trump has been less than favorable about
06:11NATO and in the past has even threatened to pull the u.s. Out of the Alliance and how much is this summit all about?
06:18Sort of future-proofing the Alliance for that possibility
06:23I'm not sure how much it is about President Trump or potential President Trump, but they are certainly
06:29Future-proofing the Alliance and they are right to do so. I think every American president
06:35Realizes once they get into office how important it is to have friends and allies
06:40It is a dangerous world out there great powers are acting badly by that
06:45I mean mostly the Russians also the Chinese Iranians and others and one of the best things
06:51One of the best things we have going from a u.s. Perspective is that we have so many friends and allies in the fight
06:58Okay, run that a big conference that's happening next week in Aspen where we need to be talking about all of these issues
07:05We're gonna have secure Kavoli many from the u.s. In international stage. I think people affirm its importance
07:13Okay. Thank you so much. Anya Manuel. We've run out of time
07:16But thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on that ongoing NATO summit and a quick mention
07:21Of course, there's plenty more on that summit on the BBC News website