Amid the grinding reality of a war now measured in years, fifty nations gathered virtually to confront a question that has haunted every alliance in history: when does a pledge become a promise, and when does a promise become action? The United States, stepping back from its former role as primary guarantor, pressed Europe to close the gap between its stated values and its material commitments — with Ukraine's cities burning and its air defences running dry. The meeting sought three hundred Patriot missiles, a number that is both a military specification and a moral reckoning.
US pushes Europe to sustain Ukraine support as allies pledge Patriot missiles
Russian ballistic missile attacks have killed civilians and destroyed food and logistics warehouses; civilian casualties in Ukraine at highest levels since May 2022 amid near-constant attacks.
War & Conflict