During a summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, NATO states responded to Ukraine’s aspirations to join the military alliance, stating that Ukraine could become a member “when allies agree and conditions are met.” President Volodymyr Zelensky had criticised the delay in Ukraine’s accession as “absurd.”
In a communique, NATO acknowledged the need for a swifter process but refrained from providing a specific timeframe. President Zelensky, who is attending the summit, expressed his disappointment, suggesting that there appeared to be a lack of readiness among NATO members to invite Ukraine or grant it membership.
While Kyiv acknowledges that it cannot join NATO while still engaged in a conflict with Russia, it seeks to become a member as soon as hostilities cease. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that allies had reaffirmed Ukraine’s future membership but agreed to drop the procedural requirement for a formal membership action plan, opting for a one-step process instead.
However, President Zelensky expressed concern that the absence of an agreed timeframe could potentially make Ukraine’s membership a bargaining chip in negotiations with Russia. He warned against leaving any room for uncertainty, asserting that it could weaken Ukraine’s position.
Disagreements among NATO members regarding Ukrainian membership have emerged, with some fearing that automatic inclusion could incentivize Russia to escalate and prolong the conflict resulting from its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In its communique, NATO acknowledged Ukraine’s increasing interoperability and political integration with the alliance, as well as its progress in implementing reforms. The member states pledged support for further reforms.
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg is scheduled to meet President Zelensky at the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on Wednesday, further discussing Ukraine’s path towards membership.
The summit also witnessed a breakthrough as Turkey withdrew its opposition to Sweden joining NATO. Turkey had previously blocked Sweden’s application, accusing it of harbouring Kurdish militants. With this obstacle removed, Sweden is set to become the alliance’s 32nd member, following Finland, which joined in April.
Additionally, the summit included the announcement of military packages for Ukraine. Eleven nations will collaborate in training Ukrainian pilots to operate US-made F-16 fighter jets, with a training centre to be established in Romania in August. This development follows the US approval for its Western allies to supply Ukraine with advanced jets, including the sought-after F-16s.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu responded by warning that if the US provided controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine, Russia would be compelled to utilise similar weapons. Cluster munitions, which release bomblets over a wide area, are banned by over 100 countries due to their impact on civilians. Human rights groups have already reported the use of cluster munitions by both Russia and Ukraine during the ongoing conflict.
