Despite billions of dollars in additional weapons and security assistance that NATO announced this week, allied officials said Ukraine would not be ready to launch a dramatic counteroffensive or retake large swaths of territory from Russia until next year.
U.S. officials and analysts say the situation on the battlefield has changed significantly in the past several weeks, as about $61 billion in aid approved by Congress in May begins to strengthen Ukrainian defenses.
But Russian airstrikes on Monday that killed at least 44 people and obliterated a children’s hospital in Kyiv as NATO leaders began to gather in Washington underscored Ukraine’s urgent need for air defenses.
Last week, the United States announced a $2.3 billion military aid package for Ukraine, including about $150 million in air defense interceptors, artillery and mortar rounds, and anti-tank weapons that will be sent immediately.
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced a $225 million package that included the new Patriot battery, air defense interceptors, artillery rounds and other munitions to be rushed to Ukraine from Pentagon inventories.
Mr. Brekelmans, the Dutch defense minister, said the Netherlands also has not limited Ukraine from attacking military targets in Russia, but described ongoing discussions within the alliance on how far over the border the strikes could be.
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