Ukraine wanted this year’s NATO summit to end with a clear statement that it would become a member of the alliance immediately after the end of the war, but this has not materialized, writes Politico.
For weeks, Ukrainian officials have called on allies in the US and Europe to make a clear offer when and how Ukraine can become a NATO member. However, a clear offer does not appear in the statement published on Tuesday, the 11th of July.
This has upset Kyiv, which seethed behind the scenes while the US and Germany buckled under pressure and refrained from making clear promises to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted an angry post on Twitter, calling the text of the report “unprecedented and absurd.”
The post caused a storm of anger in him.
Ukrainians expressed dissatisfaction with the way NATO works and said there was a sense of a lack of real dialogue.
The harsh criticism Zelensky shared on social media confused even Kyiv’s closest supporters, who saw it as damaging during the politically sensitive debate. A senior Nordic official said: “We take the tweet as an unfortunate expression of frustration.”
On Wednesday, the 12th of July, everyone made an effort to reduce the tension. The officials highlighted the scope of the aid package NATO leaders have agreed to provide to Ukraine, including a multi-year program to help Ukrainians transition to a Western-standard military system and the creation of a NATO-Ukraine Council.
As a gesture to confirm the support of Western governments for Ukraine, the declaration of the G7 countries on long-term security guarantees for Ukraine has come. An official said:
“I believe the package for Ukraine is good and a solid basis for a closer relationship on the path to membership.”
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced that NATO should not train soldiers and provide other military support, and instead focus on peace talks.
Viktor Orbán at the #NATOSummitVilnius calls on NATO countries to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine, to stop training Ukrainian soldiers and to start peace talks as soon as possible. pic.twitter.com/k7roBNU2Eh
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 12, 2023
The Kremlin, on the other hand, has shown anger at the G7’s actions and has announced that such a step is a mistake and can be very dangerous. Russia’s aggression, which was supposed to be a way to keep NATO from expanding, has turned out to be a unifying force.
As the summit drew to a close, officials from various countries pointed out that
Ukrainian president’s post on Twitter has not changed anything, and it is easy to understand his outrage.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu added that it is necessary to imagine yourself in Zelensky’s place, especially considering that a vague promise was made at the NATO summit in Bucharest in 2008 that Ukraine would eventually become a member of the alliance.
For French President Emmanuel Macron, the summit was an opportunity to show unwavering support for Ukraine, especially after Central and Eastern European countries have seen Macron as a defender of Moscow for months following his controversial remarks. Macron said on Wednesday, the 12th of July, that Zelensky has every right to be demanding.
On the 12th of July, it was also heard from the Ukrainian side that Wednesday’s talks had improved the mood.
The country has received clear signals that its membership in NATO will not become a bargaining point
in alliance negotiations with Russia, and this is exactly what Ukraine was afraid of.
Zelensky himself, who attended the first NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Vilnius, was in a positive mood while meeting with the press, but he also stated that he has not changed his position. “What’s most important is that we have a common understanding on the conditions on when and under which conditions Ukraine would be in NATO — maybe not all the details were communicated, but for me, it was very important that it depends on the security,” said the president.
The President of Ukraine added that Ukraine will not give up a single centimeter of its territory, and will not give up even villages with even one inhabitant.
Speaking to those present in Vilnius on the evening of the 12th of July, US President Joe Biden emphasized that the West supports Kyiv: “We will not waver. I mean that. Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken.”
Read also: Biden: Putin was wrong when he thought war in Ukraine would break NATO unity