NATO Leaders Declare “Ukraine’s Future is in NATO” at Vilnius Summit
Vilnius, Lithuania – A historic NATO summit took place on Tuesday in Vilnius, Lithuania, where leaders issued a communique declaring that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO.” The document also stated that Kyiv would be invited to join the military alliance when certain conditions are met and all members agree. However, no specific timeline was provided for Ukraine’s membership.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hailed the strong language used in the communique, stating that there has never been such a clear commitment to Ukraine’s membership in the alliance. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment with the lack of a timeframe. Zelenskyy called it “absurd” and urged NATO to provide certainty for his country.
Speaking to a crowd of thousands of Ukraine supporters in Vilnius, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of NATO’s decision for his country’s soldiers, citizens, and children. He thanked Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda for his support and urged NATO to fulfill its promises.
However, not everyone shares Zelenskyy’s frustration. Olexander Scherba, from Kyiv’s Foreign Ministry, accused NATO of lying about Ukraine’s membership prospects in recent years. He argued that Ukraine has been doing NATO’s job by defending Europe and called for concrete action.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged Ukraine’s dissatisfaction but emphasized that the conditions for membership must be met before Ukraine can join NATO. He reassured Zelenskyy that the commitment to Ukraine’s membership is now clearer than ever.
The summit also saw Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supporting Sweden’s NATO membership bid after more than a year of opposition. This move was praised by US President Joe Biden, who thanked Erdogan for his diplomatic efforts.
The summit also addressed other issues, including the need for NATO countries to increase defense spending to at least 2% of GDP. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged that Germany would meet this target next year.
The second day of the summit will see the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, aimed at improving coordination between Kyiv and alliance members.
In conclusion, the NATO summit in Vilnius brought both hope and disappointment for Ukraine. While the declaration of Ukraine’s future in NATO is a significant step, the lack of a specific timeline for membership has left President Zelenskyy and many Ukrainians dissatisfied. The next steps will be crucial in determining the path forward for Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.