On the second and last day of the NATO meeting in Lithuania, the new NATO-Ukraine Council meets for the first time – Ukrainian President Zelenskyj is present. He continues to hope for positive signals and concessions.
During the second and last day of the NATO meeting in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, the member states plan to discuss further steps to strengthen deterrence and defence. In the morning there will be a meeting with “value partners” from the Indo-Pacific region, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The subject of the consultations is likely to be how to deal with China.
In addition, targets for defense spending and further support for Ukraine are to be discussed – the new NATO-Ukraine Council is meeting for the first time today. The heads of state and government of NATO will meet with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Council is intended to be an instrument for consultation in crises and joint decision-making.
Zelenskyj: The whole of Ukraine is waiting for approval
Zelenskyj had announced that he would call for a further strengthening of his country’s defense capabilities. “Our defense has top priority,” Zelenskyj wrote on Telegram on Tuesday. He had also earlier reiterated his plans for bilateral meetings with allies, including Germany, the US, Canada, Britain, the Netherlands and Japan. Zelenskyy said he wanted to hold one-on-one talks with the heads of state and government of the NATO member states in Vilnius, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The whole of Ukraine is waiting for the commitment to join NATO.
In a speech in a square in central Vilnius on Tuesday, Zelenskyy called for his country to join NATO. “NATO gives Ukraine security. Ukraine makes NATO stronger,” says Zelenskyj in front of a cheering crowd.
The day before, NATO had given Ukraine, which had been attacked by Russia, hopes of admission, but made a formal invitation subject to conditions. Selenskyj had already been annoyed by this foreseeable attitude on the journey to Vilnius.
Defense Minister Pistorius had on Tuesday in the daily topics made it clear that Ukraine had to meet conditions. These include the “interoperability of the systems”, meaning that the Ukrainian weapon systems can be used together with those of the other NATO countries, questions of governance and democratic control of the armed forces.
Russia: Ukraine’s Accession May ‘Never Come’
Russia also started its war against Ukraine to prevent the neighboring country from joining NATO. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on the first day of the NATO summit that it was not clear when and under what conditions Ukraine would be admitted to the military alliance. “It is quite possible that this will never happen,” said the deputy chief of the National Security Council. Russia will continue to pursue its goals such as the “liquidation of the Kiev group” – meaning the leadership around Zelenskyy.