The head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, has stated that no unexpected voices emerged from the Russian side at the NATO summit held in Vilnius, Lithuania. This assessment was reported by TASS and echoed in subsequent official summaries. According to Naryshkin, the documents presented at the summit did not contain urgent or surprising statements, nor did they introduce terms that could have caught Moscow off guard. He added that the entire summit preparation appeared to unfold quite transparently, leaving no room for unexpected developments from the Russian perspective. These remarks reflect an emphasis on predictability and a steady, pre-announced agenda rather than last-minute shifts in positions. (Source: TASS)
Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia commented on what it described as a Western plan to humiliate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the NATO gathering. Moscow framed the maneuver as a strategic attempt by Western partners to put Kyiv into a difficult political position while preserving a united front within the alliance. (Source: Russian foreign ministry statements)
In a related vein, Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, did not rule out the possibility that Ukraine could remain outside the alliance for a prolonged period. While Kyiv has signaled aspirations to join NATO, Medvedev’s remarks underscored Moscow’s skepticism about the immediacy or feasibility of Ukraine’s full membership in the alliance. (Source: Russian government briefings)
On July 11, reports indicated that NATO members planned to invite Ukraine to join the alliance, contingent on Kyiv meeting a set of criteria agreed among allies. The decision reflected a broader strategic calculus within the bloc about the role of Ukraine in NATO, as well as the security implications for Russia and the wider European security architecture. (Source: alliance communiqués)
Previously, NATO had issued statements outlining Ukrainian aims and the conditions under which accession would be considered. Those declarations framed the path forward and highlighted the alignment of Kyiv’s reforms with alliance standards, while also signaling the contentious nature of any membership move amid ongoing regional tensions. (Source: NATO declarations)