ROME (AP) — Italy is hosting the fourth annual conference on rebuilding Ukraine even as Russia escalates its war, inviting political and business leaders to Rome to promote public-private partnerships on defense, mining, energy and other projects as uncertainty grows about the U.S. commitment to Kyiv’s defense.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) currently has only 25 percent of the interceptors needed for all its military plans, with conflicts in the Middle East contributing to the shortage.

Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine of the conflict to date on July 3, days after the Pentagon paused weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

The move blindsided the State Department, Ukraine, European allies and members of Congress, who demanded an explanation from the Pentagon.

Wisely, the United States has kept its own forces out of direct combat, choosing instead to treat Ukraine as a proxy in a broader strategy to degrade Russia’s conventional military capabilities.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the European Union’s top diplomat that Beijing can’t accept Russia losing its war against Ukraine as this could allow the United States to turn its full attention to China,