Biden meets NATO leaders in emergency effort to pressure Russia — and keep alliance unified

Biden’s packed schedule Thursday includes meetings with NATO, the Group of Seven major economies and the European Council, where he is expected to lay out a new series of measures against Russia — including new sanctions. Existing sanctions are also expected to be tightened.

Live coverage: Biden holds emergency NATO talks in Europe as Ukraine war hits one month

Following a “family photo” Thursday morning — a diplomatic nicety in which the NATO leaders gathered for an official picture — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg opened the extraordinary NATO summit by condemning Russia’s “unprovoked aggression” against Ukraine and reaffirming NATO’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

“We are determined to continue to impose costs on Russia to bring about the end of this brutal war,” Stoltenberg said.

Stoltenberg said the allies would discuss efforts to continue supporting Ukraine and strengthening NATO’s defenses. “We pay tribute to the great courage of the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian armed forces fighting for their freedom and their rights,” he said. “We also recognize those in Russia who are bravely speaking out against the war. We hear their voices. They matter.”

Stoltenberg warned a day earlier that NATO would view any use of chemical weapons by Russia as an escalation, but he remained vague on the specific repercussions of such a move. “Any use of chemical weapons would totally change the nature of the conflict and have far-reaching consequences,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky then addressed the NATO leaders via videoconference, where he repeated his request for continued Western security assistance, according to a senior U.S. administration official who requested anonymity to share details of a private meeting. Notably, Zelensky did not make a plea for a no-fly zone, which he has repeatedly asked Western allies to implement, nor a request for NATO membership.

Biden delivered remarks next, laying out the United States’ three-pronged approach to addressing the crisis. He discussed the economic costs the U.S. has imposed on Russia through sanctions, the country’s support for Ukraine through military and humanitarian assistance and the United States’ commitment to NATO and particularly the alliance’s eastern flank.

“There was a very strong sense that we are facing a significant historical moment and very strong support from all of the leaders who spoke about the need to defend our democracy, the need to defend our shared values and a strong sense that NATO was appropriately poised to be able to do that,” the senior administration official said.

The official added: “The mood overall has been sober. It’s been resolute, and it’s been incredibly united.”

Arriving at NATO’s glass and steel headquarters Thursday, European leaders described a continent — and an alliance — transformed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

For years, the Baltics and some countries in Eastern Europe have warned about Russia, while major economies in Western Europe sought to cooperate with Putin’s regime. Those who long called for a more assertive approach are now saying that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine proves the need.

“Nobody can feel safe now,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Thursday. “Even those countries who are distant from Russia cannot feel safe.”

But there’s still debate over how to prevent the conflict from escalating further, and specifically over how to communicate what would constitute red lines for NATO and the consequences for Russia if they are crossed — even as the alliance has so far remained unified in its response.

NATO has so far focused on what it won’t do, such as implement a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine. But it has been less specific about what Russian actions might trigger an escalated NATO response.

Some countries have expressed frustration at the Biden administration’s declarations of steps it will not take to defend Ukraine, worrying that such public statements simply serve to embolden Putin. Biden and his team, for instance, have repeatedly said they want to avoid anything that would escalate the situation with Russia because they do not want “World War III.”

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Ahead of Thursday’s summit, NATO heads of state and government largely stuck to that approach, saying little about red lines.

Asked about the issue, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Putin “has already crossed the red line into barbarism.” It is now up to NATO, he said, to consider “what more we can do to help the people of Ukraine protect themselves.”

Since Putin launched his full-scale assault in February, the 30-member NATO alliance has reinforced its eastern flank, with some 40,000 troops now under direct NATO command, mostly in the eastern part of the alliance.

At a news conference Wednesday, Stoltenberg said NATO leaders will likely decide to do more. “I expect leaders will agree to strengthen NATO’s posture in all domains,” Stoltenberg said, “with major increases to our forces in the eastern part of the alliance.”

The first step is the deployment of four new NATO battle groups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. NATO leaders will also look ahead, considering what Russia’s assault on Ukraine means for the alliance in the years to come.

“There is a need to reset our deterrence and defense,” Stoltenberg said, “and I expect that to be a substantial increase in our presence for the long term.”

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U.S. officials have warned that Russia may be planning to use chemical or biological weapons, potentially in a false-flag attack. On Wednesday, Stoltenberg said the alliance plans to send equipment to help Ukraine handle such threats — but he declined to offer specifics.

In a call last week, Biden warned China’s leader, Xi Jinping, against helping Russia. NATO allies will discuss Thursday what happens if Beijing offers more support to Moscow.

“China has provided Russia with political support, including by spreading blatant lies and disinformation,” Stoltenberg said. “Allies are concerned that China could provide material support for the Russian invasion.”

Later Thursday, Biden will join European Union leaders for a European Council meeting, where the group will discuss military assistance to Ukraine, next steps on sanctions and how to lessen Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.

The United States has banned imports of oil, natural gas and coal from Russia. The E.U., which is vastly more dependent on Russian energy, has vowed to cut gas imports by two-thirds by the end of the year, but the bloc faces pressure to do more. However, calls for an outright ban on Russian energy, or just on Russian oil, have thus far divided the 27-member E.U.

As Biden lined up for a NATO “family photo” before the meetings in Brussels officially got underway, the U.S. president shook hands with and briefly spoke to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Turkish President President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

Then, as the leaders dispersed, Biden, Johnson and Emmanuel huddled off the stage before exiting together to attend the formal summit.