Zelenskyy visits NATO headquarters in Brussels as leaders discuss Ukraine support

Geoff Bennett:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an unannounced trip to Brussels today, his first time visiting NATO headquarters.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin hosted him and 50 other leaders for a meeting on continuing to arm Ukraine, as Austin and the entire U.S. government also work on how best to arm Israel.

Nick Schifrin is in Brussels tonight and joins us now.

So, Nick, first on Ukraine, what was Ukraine's message to the world?

Nick Schifrin:

Well, the message that Ukraine wants to hear is that the world will continue to support Ukraine, despite the war in Israel, and that's the message that the U.S. and the West tried to send, certainly, today.

Zelenskyy came here asking for, as he always does, weapons, weapons for the counteroffensive, longer-range rockets, and critical air defense, ahead of what is expected to be another Russian campaign targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure this winter.

But he also admitted that he asked Western leaders whether they could continue to support Ukraine, despite the war in Israel, and he did not seem reassured by the answer.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President:

My question was that, will your support will be less than now? Even now, during the election period in the United States, you see the challenges, yes, there.

The partner says no. But who knows how it will be? I think nobody knows.

Nick Schifrin:

Now, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q. Brown, did say that the U.S. would continue to support both Israel and Ukraine.

NATO allies promised $2 billion worth of assistance, including $200 million from the U.S. But even before Israel, Geoff, administration officials were struggling to get their latest aid package for Ukraine through the Congress. They have got about $1.6 billion left in replenishment stocks, that is, replenishing U.S. stocks that are sent to Ukraine.

That could really last as few as a few weeks, Geoff. And so that is why the administration really wants to see the House of Representatives in order and Congress pass another Ukraine aid package.

Geoff Bennett:

What is Israel asking the U.S. for? And does that in any way complicate weapons deliveries for Ukraine?

Nick Schifrin:

Israel's asks have not been finalized, according to multiple senior officials that I'm speaking to.

But there are three things obvious that are on the list, number one, of course, Iron Dome interceptors that have been discussed widely. The U.S. is also accelerating existing contracts for precision-guided munitions, specifically small diameter bombs that Israel already purchased from Boeing, and those already landed in Israel.

And the third, the administration is looking at additional precision-guided munitions that the U.S. already has in its inventory. As for whether there is some overlap between Ukraine and Israeli asks, as for now, Geoff, the answer is no, because of the different systems that Israel and Ukraine use.

But senior officials do tell me that they are worried that, as the war in Israel becomes protracted, that could mean the possibility that Israeli asks and Ukrainian asks could overlap.

Geoff Bennett:

Well, on that point, how concerned is the Biden administration about the potential for this war to widen?

Nick Schifrin:

Yes, in the words of a senior defense administration official, the administration is — quote — "deeply concerned" that Lebanese Hezbollah especially could enter the war.

And we have seen in the last few hours some skirmishes on Israel's northern border, including a false alarm about drones and gliders crossing that border. U.S. officials insist this is why they have sent the most visible form of military deterrence that they have, an aircraft carrier strike group, which is off the coast of Israel.

But they also admit that keeping the war contained between Israel and Gaza will be increasingly difficult, as there are — as there is a protracted campaign in Gaza and there are more civilian casualties. And that drawn-out campaign, Geoff, has some administration officials worried about their ongoing efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and even their moral authority across the world.

Geoff Bennett:

And lastly, Nick, I understand you have a tragic update to a story we aired earlier this week.

Nick Schifrin:

Yes, Geoff, this is the story of Shaylee Atary and Yahav Winner that we brought to you on Monday night, how Yahav held off Hamas militants in their home in Southern Israel as Shaylee escaped their home with their 1-month-old baby.

The two of them had been together for 10 years. She called him her best friend. They waited a long time to have that baby. And we learned that, unfortunately, Yahav died in the original attack, leaving behind his wife and his baby, Shaya.

Geoff Bennett:

Our hearts certainly go out to her and her daughter.

Nick Schifrin reporting tonight from Brussels.

Nick, thank you.

Nick Schifrin:

Thank you.