The NATO summit starts in Vilnius on July 11. The main topic will be the rapprochement of Ukraine with the alliance, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference in Brussels, outlining the program of the two-day event.
NATO Secretary General announced a package of three positions, which is expected to be considered at a meeting in Vilnius, “to bring Ukraine closer to NATO.” According to him, we are talking about a “multi-year program of assistance” to Kiev, “ensuring compatibility between the armed forces of Ukraine and NATO”, “modernization of political ties” through the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council and confirmation of the intention to accept Ukraine into NATO.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will take part in the first meeting of the new Ukraine-NATO Council, Stoltenberg added.
He promised that NATO would help “to build Ukraine’s security and defense sector, including military hospitals.” “We will help Ukraine move from the Soviet era to NATO equipment and standards,” the Secretary General said.
Separately, he added that NATO member states at the summit will also express support for Georgia within internationally recognized borders and take further steps to strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and defense. It is planned to discuss aspects of regional defense: for the north – the Atlantic and the European Arctic; for the center, including the Baltic region and Central Europe; for the south – the Mediterranean and Black Seas. In addition, the meeting in Vilnius is expected to approve a defense production plan, which will require increased investment in the defense industry of NATO member states, Stoltenberg added.
According to him, the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan are invited to the NATO summit. The leadership of the European Union will also be present in Vilnius. Also, “this will be Finland’s first summit as a NATO ally,” Stoltenberg stressed.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
