During a joint briefing with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said that Ukraine deserves to be a NATO member.
Ukraine deserves to be a member of NATO. And I want to emphasize one point once again in your presence: no one will lose from the coming of a just peace.
Recep Erdogan, President of Turkey
During the summit in Vilnius, the NATO members will provide vital support to Ukraine, bringing it closer to NATO membership. In addition, Ukraine’s future in the military bloc will be discussed, Channel 24 reported.
The visit of President Zelenskyy and the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council are also expected. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated this during a press briefing on the eve of the summit in Vilnius.
Ukraine’s NATO membership to be discussed
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine has moved much closer to the Alliance, as close cooperation has been ongoing since 2014. The NATO chief expects that in Vilnius, leaders will adopt a practical assistance package that will bring Ukraine closer to the Alliance.
According to Stoltenberg, NATO member states will continue to support Ukraine and discuss future membership in detail.
“I am sure that we will also be able to find an opportunity to consider a specific membership issue, but I will not say in detail what the terminology will be. We will announce it at the summit when everything is agreed upon,” the Alliance chief said.
Answering journalists’ questions, Stoltenberg said he was still consulting with the Ukrainian side and the allies on the communiqué on Ukraine’s future membership.
“I am sure that we will have an obvious message. But first, we have to remember that all NATO members agree that NATO’s door is open and Ukraine will become a member,” Stoltenberg said, emphasizing that Ukraine must first win the war against Russian invaders.
The NATO Secretary-General said that Ukraine’s victory and Putin’s defeat in the war remain a crucial priority for the Alliance. According to Stoltenberg, Ukraine will have a stronger position at the negotiating table if it liberates more territories.
