The move could draw the United States and Europe more directly into the war. The Biden administration continues to say there will be no American troops on the ground.

Scrambles of NATO jets to intercept Russian aircraft approaching allied airspace over the Baltic Sea region went up 20% to 25% in the first quarter of 2024, a NATO source said on Thursday, with the increased Russian activity likely due to a hike in NATO drills.

Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Commander of NATO's Allied Forces Europe, and Rob Bauer, Chairman of the Alliance's Military Committee, believe that the Russians will not have enough strength to make a strategic breakthrough in the north of Kharkiv Oblast.

Ukrainian officials have asked their U.S. and NATO counterparts to help train 150,000 new recruits closer to the front line for faster deployment. So far the U.S. has been adamant that it will not put U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, and has urged NATO allies not to do so either.

NATO's top commander said on Thursday he did not believe Russia's military has deployed enough troops to make a strategic breakthrough in the region around Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine.

NATO should use air defenses in eastern Europe to intercept Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, a former NATO chief said.

While nothing seems to be impossible for the Ukrainian military, support for Ukraine is crucial at this time. Therefore, the allies should choose the latter between achieving NATO's goals and helping Kyiv,

Russia cautioned on Monday about the anticipated arrival of F-16s in Ukraine, stating that the US fighter jets would be viewed as an escalation due to their capability as nuclear-weapon delivery systems.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has declared its commitment to support Ukraine in its ongoing struggle against Russian forces. The transatlantic alliance has pledged not only to aid in the country’s eventual reconstruction but also to advance its security and defense systems.