This leaders summit NATO Celebrated on 11 and 12 July in Vilnius (Lithuania), it will mean a before and after. Ukraine. The meeting will be attended by Ukrainian president Volodímir Zelenski, but for security reasons it remains to be confirmed whether he will attend the meeting in the Lithuanian capital in person or via videoconference. In any event, the appointment, as explained by Allied Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, will serve to bring the country closer to the transatlantic organization through the creation of a transatlantic organisation. NATO-Ukraine Councila multi-year aid program and the political promise that Ukraine will become a member of the Atlantic Alliance.
“At the summit we will further strengthen Ukraine and create a vision for its future,” the Norwegian politician said. “First, we will agree on a multi-year aid program to ensure full interoperability between the Ukrainian armed forces and NATO. Second, we will improve our political ties through the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council. Third, I hope Allied leaders hope that Ukraine is a NATO member. It reaffirms that it will be and unite in a way that brings Ukraine closer to its goal.” countries – and Sweden – and Ukraine will sit “equally” when they join the club.
What will this new forum be used for? “If they feel threatened in any way and need urgent consultations, then as Council members they can initiate this crisis consultation mechanism between Ukraine’s two allies,” Stoltenberg said. It opens the door to the creation of subcommittees to handle specific tasks such as interoperability. “The idea is to create a body where we can do things together, decide together, consult together on issues important to our security, and strengthen cooperation and ties. This will bring Ukraine closer to NATO.”
Accession of Ukraine
While the Allies are still negotiating the language of the final declaration, Stoltenberg hopes to find a formula to renew the agreement. commitment to participation and sending a clear message, remembering that Ukraine and the allies have already agreed on many important principles when it comes to accession. “We agree that NATO’s doors are open. We agree that Ukraine will become a member, which is an important message. We also agree that it is up to NATO allies and Ukraine to decide when the time is right,” he said. in appearance.
An example of the political commitment to Kiev is the “unprecedented” shipments of ammunition of all kinds, which Stoltenberg celebrated, although he declined to comment on Russia’s supply. cluster bombs Norway to Ukraine acknowledged that the Atlantic Alliance had no position on this issue, but some allied countries, from Germany to Spain, signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions. This is not the case for the US, which is exploring the possibility of providing this type of weapon. When asked about this possibility, he said, “The Allies individually decide whether this military aid is delivered to Ukraine. Governments make the decision, not the Alliance.” He pointed out that it was Russia that used this type of ammunition “in a brutal war.” The difference would be that Moscow would use it in a war of aggression and Ukraine would use it to defend itself.
Regional plans and more spending
Stoltenberg also confirmed that the NATO summit will take “significant steps” to strengthen deterrence and defense plans, with the adoption of three new regional defense plans to counter the two main threats facing allied nations (Russia and terrorism). The first will focus on the north, Atlantic and European Arctic, the second on the Baltic region and Europe towards the centre, and the third on the south, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. For all this, NATO will adapt its hand mechanisms and create a new structure to keep 300,000 air and sea-supported soldiers on the alert.
An agreement is also expected to emerge from the meeting on the new Defense Production Action Plan to add demand, increase capacity and increase interoperability. NATO sources confirmed that Spain, which blocked the plan a few weeks ago, was a priori satisfied with the language of the agreement. And the commitment that the allocation of 2% of GDP to defense spending will be the floor, not the ceiling. In this area, Stoltenberg expressed his satisfaction with the latest spending data confirming that allied countries will allocate 8.3% to military spending this year. “This is the largest increase in decades and the ninth consecutive year that we have increased our defense spending. European Allies and Canada will have invested more than $450 billion since we accepted our defense investment commitment in 2014. At the time, only three Allies spent 2% of their GDP on defense. This year, 11 allies will meet or exceed the target,” he said, revealing provisional data released this Friday.
This is Poland (3.9%), the United States (3.4%), Greece (3.01%), Estonia (2.7%), Lithuania (2.5%), Finland (2.4%) ), Romania (2.4%), the situation in Hungary. (2.4%), Latvia (2.2%), the United Kingdom (2.07%) and Slovakia (2.03%). Spain, on the other hand, will continue in the tail of the allied countries for another year, ahead of only Belgium and Luxembourg, with a military expenditure of 1.26%. SpainHe celebrates that the Summit, which will reach its target of 2% in 2029, will not only value the 2% target, but also the money invested in military equipment and R&D, two areas in which it adapts, and contributions to operations. Available in operations in Iraq, Türkiye, Latvia and Estonia. In addition, Spain allocates 29% to military capabilities, above the 20% target set at the 2014 Wales summit.
The Lithuanian meeting will also allow allied leaders to meet with their partners. Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea and Stoltenberg believes this will result in a deal with the Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan Including Sweden. Stoltenberg on Thursday was counting on the possibilities of clearing the final hurdles on Monday. The TGNA, which will go into summer recess on July 15 and will not be able to convene again until October, will have the last word if it approves. According to diplomatic sources, Hungary also gave signs that it would be willing to ratify Sweden’s accession before Turkey.