NATO will invite Ukraine to join the military alliance, but only when member states agree and the conditions for joining are met. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this at the summit in Vilnius. There will therefore not be an invitation at the top itself.
“We have clearly said that we will invite Ukraine to join NATO when allies agree and the conditions are met,” the secretary-general said at a press conference. “It is the first time we use the word ‘invitation’,” Stoltenberg emphasized.
According to the NATO chief, the allies agreed to a package to bring Ukraine closer to NATO. For example, Ukraine will receive a new support program that will run for several years. This program should enable Ukraine to move from Soviet to NATO standards and contribute to the reconstruction of the Ukrainian security and defense sector. The program must also cover necessary resources such as fuel, demining equipment and medical supplies.
There will also be a new ‘NATO-Ukraine Council’ for crisis consultations, “where we will meet on an equal footing”, Stoltenberg said. Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky will participate in the first session of that council on Wednesday.
NATO agreed to remove the condition of a Membership Action Plan (MAP), which prepares countries for possible membership in the alliance. According to him, this shortens the accession process. “This is a strong package for Ukraine, and a clear path to membership in NATO,” Stoltenberg said.
Defense plans
At the summit in Vilnius, member states also approved the “most comprehensive defense plans since the end of the Cold War,” Stoltenberg said. Those plans focus on Russia and terrorism as the main threats. NATO wants to have 300,000 troops in a higher state of readiness, backed by air and naval capabilities.
As announced, the allies also agreed to invest at least 2 percent of GDP annually on defense. This is therefore no longer a target as agreed in 2014, but a minimum.
In addition, they also talked about China, which according to Stoltenberg is not an “opponent”. NATO must therefore continue to engage in dialogue. According to him, Beijing’s assertiveness does have an impact on security. He referred to the refusal to condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine, threats against Taiwan and the military buildup. “China’s nuclear modernization is unprecedented in scale and scope and is happening without transparency,” he said. “Allies continue to work together to defend against China’s coercive behavior.”
