President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine made a surprise visit to NATO headquarters on Wednesday, as top defense officials representing members of the military alliance gathered to consider how many more weapons — and for how much longer — the West can give Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Mr. Zelensky’s appearance at the meeting was a stark reminder of the 19-month-old conflict on NATO’s doorstep even as much of the West has turned its attention to the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza. That war broke out this past weekend and, if it drags out, threatens to divert resources from Ukraine.
But that is not expected to happen in the near future, officials and experts said, since Israel and Ukraine are using different kinds of air defenses to protect their respective territories. And two of NATO’s largest members, Britain and Germany, announced large packages of additional military assistance to Ukraine hours before the two days of meetings began on Wednesday.
For Mr. Zelensky, who has condemned Hamas for its surprise assault on Israel, the visit was yet another push to seek more advanced weaponry from Ukraine’s allies. The United States alone has given Ukraine billions in military aid.
