Zelensky Attends NATO Summit, Aims for Military Support and NATO Membership
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine attended the NATO summit held on Tuesday, marking an important step in strengthening Ukraine’s relationship with the alliance. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed his welcome for Zelensky’s presence and announced the establishment of a new NATO-Ukraine Council during the summit. This move will elevate the official status of NATO-Ukraine relations, allowing direct participation in broader discussions on NATO security and consultation on Ukraine’s security concerns.
Zelensky’s participation in the summit is driven by two primary goals. Firstly, he seeks increased military support from NATO to aid Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Secondly, Zelensky hopes to address the issue of Ukraine’s accession to NATO. Prior to the summit, Zelensky exerted pressure on NATO to expedite Ukraine’s membership into the alliance. However, some major members, led by US President Joe Biden, believe that such a decision should not be made in the midst of an ongoing war.
Nevertheless, Secretary-General Stoltenberg expressed confidence that the summit would convey a positive message about Ukraine’s path to NATO membership. He proposed a streamlined membership program that would eliminate the need for a Member State Action Plan, simplifying the process and enabling Ukraine to join NATO more swiftly.
Several countries have announced new aid packages for Ukraine at the summit. The United States took the lead by unveiling an $800 million assistance package, which includes controversial cluster munitions. Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured the media that Ukraine would receive strong political and practical support from NATO allies at the summit, emphasizing their commitment to Ukraine’s NATO membership.
Norway has also committed to providing Ukraine with $960 million in military aid in 2023. Over the next five years, Norway plans to offer more than $7.2 billion in both civilian and military support to Ukraine, along with additional funding to support reforms within the country. Furthermore, Norway pledged to increase its defense spending to meet the NATO requirement of contributing at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will join Britain in supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles. These missiles will enable Ukrainian forces to strike Russian troops and supplies far behind the front lines. Germany also pledged new military aid worth 700 million euros.
In a separate development, Sweden is on track to join NATO. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson ahead of the NATO summit and presented a new condition. Erdogan proposed that if the European Union agrees to start accession negotiations with Turkey, Turkey would support Sweden’s acceptance into NATO. Secretary-General Stoltenberg confirmed that Turkey now supports Sweden’s inclusion in the alliance.
The observer countries participating in the NATO summit also engaged in multilateral interaction both during and before the meeting. For instance, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Latvia and signed the “NATO Stronger Presence at the Frontier” (EFP) Battle Group agreement. This agreement sets the foundation for future military relations between Canada and Latvia. Canada plans to increase its troops in Latvia to 2,200 over the next three years, more than doubling its current deployment. The country has been leading a multinational NATO force in Latvia since 2017.
Many decisions made at the NATO summit are putting pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and eliciting responses from the Kremlin. Russia has accused NATO of considering the country as an “enemy” and has threatened to closely monitor the summit’s decisions and respond accordingly. The world waits to see how Putin will navigate these developments.