Tue 11 July 2023:
Zelenskyy says it would be absurd if Ukraine is not offered a timeframe for NATO membership during the Vilnius summit.
“It’s unprecedented and absurd when time frame is not set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine’s membership. While at the same time vague wording about “conditions” is added even for inviting Ukraine,” he wrote on Twitter.
“It seems there is no readiness neither to invite Ukraine to NATO nor to make it a member of the Alliance. This means that a window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine’s membership in NATO in negotiations with Russia. And for Russia, this means motivation to continue its terror.”
Zelenskyy added that he would discuss this at the summit.
We value our allies. We value our shared security. And we always appreciate an open conversation.
Ukraine will be represented at the NATO summit in Vilnius. Because it is about respect.But Ukraine also deserves respect. Now, on the way to Vilnius, we received signals that…
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 11, 2023
Biden to meet Zelenskyy on Wednesday
US President Joe Biden will meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a one-on-one meeting on Wednesday in Lithuania.
Al Jazeera’s James Bays, reporting from Vilnius, said there had been “rumblings” that Zelenskyy wouldn’t show “because he wanted a very clear commitment from the NATO leaders”.
On Monday, Zelenskyy said he expects the NATO summit to confirm that Ukraine is already a “de facto” member of the military alliance.
NATO should remove Ukraine’s membership action plan requirement: Stoltenberg
NATO allies should agree to remove the requirement of a membership action plan (MAP) for Ukraine to become a member of the alliance in the future, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said before the NATO summit.
“Ukraine has come a long way since we made the decision in 2008 that the next step would be a membership action plan. Ukraine is much closer to NATO, so I think the time has come to reflect that in NATO decisions,” Stoltenberg said.
“All put together, including that we’ll make clear that Ukraine will become a member, we’ll remove the membership action plan, (….) will send a very strong and positive message from NATO to Ukraine.”
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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