Ukraine's NATO allies strain to keep up pressure on Russia

Those decisions are sparking growing controversy in Europe. Countries closest to the fighting and that feel threatened by Russia are providing the most weaponry and advocating loudest for immediate and aggressive support. Those further away or who feel greater economic pain from the conflict, particularly Germany and France, are pushing for a longer-term perspective on the conflict.

On Friday, leaders of nine NATO countries along the alliance’s eastern border—all once occupied or controlled by Moscow’s forces and currently Ukraine’s staunchest backers—gathered in Bucharest and reiterated in a statement their “unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Two days earlier, defense ministers from NATO and European Union countries bordering the Baltic or North Sea, known as the Northern Group, gathered in Reykjavik, Iceland, to condemn Moscow’s attack and support Ukraine. The countries, led by the U.K., all share land borders or maritime contact with Russia, and are also at the forefront of supporting Kyiv.