The conclusion of NATO summit... The alliance confirms its support for Kyiv and clarifies: Ukraine's accession will take place after war

 Today, Wednesday, the work of the NATO summit was concluded in the presence of the leaders of the alliance countries in the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, where the members affirmed their commitment to providing military support to Kyiv that extends for years.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance had agreed to a package to develop Ukraine's defense capabilities that "span for years," saying that "the world is facing great challenges."

In the same context, US President Joe Biden said that NATO leaders had agreed that Ukraine would be a member "after the war."

On the sidelines of the summit, the leaders of the Group of Seven countries issued a statement expressing support for Ukraine in its self-defense against Russian aggression, no matter how long it is according to the statement.

The Group of Seven countries also announced its plan for security guarantees for Ukraine, including the provision of security assistance and modern military equipment, and confirms that Kyiv pledged to enhance transparency and accountability.

Today, Wednesday, the G7 countries announced an international framework that paves the way for long-term security guarantees for Ukraine to strengthen its defenses against Russia and deter Moscow from any future aggression.

In a joint declaration that other countries can join, the United States, Germany, Japan, France, Canada, Italy, and Britain, as well as the European Union, said that this framework includes the provision of elements including advanced and modern military equipment, training, intelligence exchange, and cyber defense.

In return, Ukraine will pledge to improve governance measures, including judicial and economic reforms and enhanced transparency.

For his part, Biden said today, Wednesday, that the Group of Seven issued a clear statement that its support for Ukraine will continue for a long time in the future after an announcement that defined a multilateral framework to support Ukraine, explaining, "We will remain so as long as necessary."

In remarks alongside Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the multilateral agreement, which paves the way for bilateral negotiations with countries, represents an "important security victory" for his country.

Zelensky also revealed that the results of the NATO summit are good, and would have been ideal if Kyiv had received an invitation to join the Western military alliance.

Stoltenberg said that NATO members confirmed that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance, explaining their commitment to providing security support to it to be a deterrent to Russia after the war.

Kyiv's partners in the West have trained thousands of Ukrainian forces, and Ukraine has relied heavily on Western arms supplies to fight Russian forces since February 2022.

NATO made it clear on Tuesday that Ukraine was welcome to join the alliance, but it did not specify a date or set specific conditions for its accession.

The alliance also abandoned the condition that Kyiv fulfills a membership action plan and a list of political, economic, and military goals that Eastern European countries must meet before joining the alliance, thus effectively removing an obstacle to Ukraine's accession to the alliance.

Zelensky confirmed that he had received positive news of new defense packages while he was in Vilnius, where he met with the leaders of Britain, Germany, France, Australia, and the Netherlands.

In a Russian reaction, the Kremlin said today, Wednesday, that the security guarantees that the West intends to provide to Ukraine would be a serious mistake that would affect Russia's security and expose Europe to greater risks for many years to come.

Source: Agencies