Western leaders readying for next phase of responses to Russia-Ukraine war
A host of emergency summits Thursday could aid discern the next phase of the Western response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, which US officials caution is entering a precarious but bloody stretch.
CNN reports that announcements on new sanctions, 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 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has frequently asked: Enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
According to US and NATO officials, such a move would stake provoking President Vladimir Putin and provoking a wider battle with Russia.
Also, Western allies have found it hard to take more bold steps, such as providing Russian-made fighter jets to Ukraine or agreeing to cut themselves off from Russian energy supplies, which could potentially maim Russia’s economy.
