2023-07-11 21:09:00
On the first day of the summit in Vilnius, discussions on a possible membership and invitation of Ukraine returned to the table.
By NJ with AFP Volodymyr Zelensky was received by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius, where a Ukrainian flag torn from Bakhmout was hoisted. © PETRAS MALUKAS / AFP Published on 07/11/2023 at 9:09 p.m.
An invitation from Ukraine to NATO, yes, but only “when the conditions are met”. On the first day of the summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Jens Stoltenberg, the organization’s secretary general, wanted to be very firm: “We made it clear that we will invite Ukraine to join NATO when the Allies agree,” he continued.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, had expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of a timetable for his country’s accession, deeming the situation “absurd”. He criticized the “indecision” of the organization which encourages Russian “terror”.
Jens Stoltenberg tried to calm his ardor: “This is the first time that we have used the word ‘invitation’”.
“Ukraine will make NATO stronger”, says Zelensky
The Ukrainian head of state wants to be sure of himself and says he has “faith in a strong NATO” which does not hesitate, does not waste time”. “And I would like that faith to become trust, trust in the decisions that we deserve,” he said.
READ ALSONATO: cracks increasingly difficult to concealFor him, the possible future membership of his country is not in doubt. “NATO will give Ukraine security. Ukraine will make NATO stronger,” he said, before attending, with his Lithuanian counterpart, a ceremony to raise a Ukrainian flag brought from Bakhmout, the eastern city where s he longest and deadliest battle of the war unfolded.
“Today in Vilnius there is a flag of the battle of Bakhmout […] one of the most decisive battles for freedom in Europe. […] In the ruins of Bakhmout, on the fields of other battles in Ukraine, the aggressive Russian ambitions will remain defeated”.
READ ALSO“NATO’s objective is to preserve its military advantage”In the meantime, Jens Stoltenberg recalled that the Allies had undertaken to devote “at least 2%” of their GDP each year to military expenditure. “Eleven allies have now reached or exceeded this milestone. We expect this figure to increase significantly next year,” said the Secretary General of the Organization which has 31 members since Finland joined in spring 2023.
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