2023-07-11 11:17:59
NATO began a two-day summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in which it seeks to bring Ukraine closer to the organization, as well as strengthen its deterrence and defense capacity against threats such as Russia and terrorism, with new regional plans and an increase in spending in defense of at least 2 percent of GDP.
On the way to the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that it is “absurd and unprecedented” that the Alliance will not give an invitation date for your country to join and he assured that he has “signs” that there will be a declaration without direct allusion to admission once the war ends.
“The formula only refers to the invitation, and not to Ukraine’s accession,” Zelensky said of the content of the statement that the allies would be negotiating.
The Ukrainian head of state also complained that the statement that NATO leaders would be preparing alludes to “conditions” for Ukraine, not just to be accepted into NATO, but to be invited to join. “It seems that there is no availability either to invite Ukraine to NATO or to make it a member of the Alliance,” he stressed.
Group photo at the NATO summit in Vilnius. Image: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool Photo via AP/picture alliance
“Uncertainty means weakness”
“This means that a window of opportunity is being left open to negotiate Ukraine’s NATO membership in negotiations with Russia. And for Russia this means a reason to continue the terror“Added the Ukrainian president in his message, published on his social networks.
Zelensky also complained that the possible formula of the NATO declaration is being negotiated “without Ukraine”, and affirmed that his country “deserves respect”.
“Uncertainty means weakness and I will speak openly about this at this summit,” concludes Zelenski’s message, which presages a tense meeting in the Lithuanian capital.
rml (efe, Archyde.com, updated at 15:33 CET)
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