Washington, 9 July 2024 (dpa/MIA) - US President Joe Biden meets his fellow NATO leaders on Tuesday for a landmark 75th anniversary summit aimed at projecting strength and shoring up support for Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion.

However, questions surrounding Biden's mental fitness for office loom over the summit, as the US presidential race heats up between the president and his predecessor, long-time NATO critic Donald Trump.

Biden has resisted calls to withdraw from the presidential race and may use the summit to dispel doubts over his health, while NATO tries to entrench its support for Ukraine in the event Trump returns to the White House.

Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced the alliance is set to provide Ukraine with military aid worth €40 billion ($43 billion) in 2025.

However, the €40-billion pledge has been watered down from the multi-year financial commitment to support Ukraine that Stoltenberg wanted allies to agree. The alliance will review the military aid again next year, weakening the package further.

Another part of the secretary general's plan to shield Ukraine from political change in the United States is a new support project for Ukraine called NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), approved by NATO defence ministers in June.

The secretary general also said he expects NATO allies to announce the supply of new air defence systems for Ukraine.

NATO commitments of future support for Ukraine are also meant to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he could not succeed in his invasion of Ukraine.

Photo: NATO