Ukraine’s chances in NATO: Alliance summit ongoing in Vilnius

The summit of the North Atlantic Alliance began in Vilnius, Lithuania. Continuation of support for Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression and discussion of the prospects for its accession to NATO is the central topic of the meeting of the military-political union.

“Vilnius should become the place from where good news will reach the Ukrainian people,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said on the eve of the NATO summit. Kyiv expects to receive a “clear signal” regarding future membership, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said before the meeting of the member states.

However, a few hours after the start of the summit, Zelenskyy reported that he had received signals that wording without Ukraine was being discussed.

“Unprecedented and absurd – when there is no time frame for the invitation and the membership of Ukraine, and when some strange wording is added about the ‘conditions’ even for the invitation of Ukraine…There seems to be no readiness to invite Ukraine to join NATO or make it a member of the Alliance,” Ukraine’s president wrote. 

Currently, Zelenskyy is on his way to the summit; he will join the meeting in the evening. The President will take part in the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council on Wednesday and will also meet with the American leader, Joe Biden.

Meanwhile, Biden said that the Allies have agreed on the wording of Ukraine’s integration into NATO.

“This is a very important, critical moment for Ukraine and the issue of NATO, which you continue to strive for… We agreed on the wording that you proposed, which are related to Ukraine’s accession to NATO,” the US president said in a joint speech with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The delegation of the Ukrainian World Congress is also present in Vilnius. The UWC calls on NATO to support the accession of Ukraine.

“The future of Euro-Atlantic and global peace and rules-based international order was being decided in Ukraine and that NATO membership for Ukraine was the only real option to ensure peace in Ukraine and the region,” UWC President Paul Grod stated in a letter to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Ukrainian journalists reported that the summit in Vilnius continues with unprecedented street support for Ukraine – both from the authorities and ordinary citizens. Dozens of rallies are ongoing.