US exit from NATO to hurt Ukraine, set stage for high drama Ankara summit — newspaper

ROME, April 1. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump's threats to withdraw from NATO are serious and will have consequences both for the North Atlantic Alliance and Ukraine, said Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. There could also be some high drama at the bloc's summit in Ankara, scheduled for July 7 and 8, the daily added. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's vision of alliance unity did not involve partners distancing themselves from the conflict unleashed by the United States and Israel in Iran. "Now the leaders of the leading countries fear that the Ankara summit could turn into a fierce confrontation between Trump and everyone else," the newspaper writes. It points out that the White House’s support for Ukraine is waning. The Americans intend to use the funds raised through the PURL fund (American arms purchase programs for Ukraine) to replenish the Pentagon's own depleted arsenals, not for Ukraine. According to the newspaper, the implementation of this agreement is also not proceeding as fast as Kiev expected. "24 countries joined the agreement, but contributed only $4.5 billion, while Vladimir Zelensky requested $90-100 billion," the newspaper says. Earlier, Trump told Reuters that he was "disgusted" with NATO and was considering withdrawing the United States from the alliance. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he said that he was considering quitting NATO entirely after the alliance did not support Washington in the operation against Iran.