NATO needs to bend its rules to help Ukraine. Here’s why.
Power Play
POLITICO
4.2 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 16 May 2024
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week's edition of Power Play comes from the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, where host Anne McElvoy talks to President Zelenskyy’s closest aide, Andriy Yermak, and former NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
As Russian forces advance on Kharkiv, delays in weapons deliveries from the U.S. and Europe are proving costly. Now the war has reached a critical moment for Zelenskyy's leadership — and Ukraine.
They discuss its ability to withstand Russia's biggest attack yet, a new plan to accelerate NATO membership — and whether security guarantees from the West can bolster the embattled country's future security.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The war in Ukraine is back in our news this morning. Ukraine says its troops are locked in intense |
| 0:06.0 | battles with advancing Russian soldiers in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Harquive. |
| 0:12.0 | And there are fears that fight. |
| 0:13.0 | Ukraine this spring is facing a race against time. |
| 0:17.0 | Russian forces have stepped up their aggression, specifically in the Kharkiv region. |
| 0:22.0 | A package of aid passed through U.S. Congress finally makes its way |
| 0:26.2 | to the front line. Will it be enough to turn the tide of a war looking more and more |
| 0:31.5 | testing for a country facing a formidable foe. |
| 0:35.0 | This week US Secretary of State Anthony Blinkin met President |
| 0:40.0 | Follander Mierzilensky and promised US aid would make a real difference. But Ukraine also seeks |
| 0:47.5 | guarantees for its longer-term security, the prize entry into the coveted NATO alliance. The detail of that |
| 0:55.9 | roadmap was revealed this week at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit which meets |
| 1:00.7 | yearly in search of new ways to push back against a tide of authoritarianism. |
| 1:07.0 | Welcome to Power Play, I'm Anne McElvoy, and this week we're bringing you a live edition of our Transatlantic podcast. |
| 1:17.0 | We do hope you follow it. If you don't already, please do. This week we were recording in front of the packed hall at the Danish Royal Playhouse. |
| 1:27.0 | I was joined on stage by Andrei Yermach, head of the office of the President of Ukraine, and one Olimia Zolenski's closest team in the Inner |
| 1:35.8 | War councils. |
| 1:37.8 | And also joining me was Anders Phil Rasmussen, former NATO General Secretary and Chairman of the Alliance of Democracy's Foundation. |
| 1:47.4 | This report, Gentleman, has been launched just ahead of that 75th NATO summit in July in Washington, DC. What was it really aimed at |
| 1:58.4 | bringing together that wasn't implicit anyway in the challenge that the West has in supporting Ukraine |
| 2:05.0 | and getting to Ukraine what it needs. |
| 2:07.4 | And as I may start with you. |
... |
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