Stoltenberg confirms President Zelenskyy's participation in NATO’s summit in Vilnius
At a press conference, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's participation in the NATO Summit in Vilnius on Tuesday.
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"We will renew our political ties. President Zelenskyy will join us at the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council," Stoltenberg said.
He also added that this summit should bring Ukraine closer to NATO membership.
Bloomberg journalist Jennifer Jacobs said on Twitter that Zelenskyy would arrive in Vilnius on July 12, Wednesday. At the same time, she added, the President's Office refused to comment on the matter.
On June 30, Deputy Head of the President’s Office Ihor Zhovkva said that Zelenskyy would probably not attend the summit unless Ukraine was invited to start the process of joining NATO. On July 3, presidential spokesman Sergii Nykyforov said that the President’s Office was still unsure about Zelenskyy's participation in the NATO summit.
On June 1, 2023, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was ready to join NATO but was waiting for the Alliance's readiness.
On July 5, 2023, a White House representative said that NATO member states would decide on Ukraine's membership when it "meets all the requirements and carries out the necessary reforms." The Foreign Ministry reacted and called on the West to reform its attitude toward Russia.
John Kirby, the spokesperson for the White House's National Security Council, also said that the NATO summit in Vilnius should not be seen as a "decision point" on specific weapons systems.
Ukraine’s spy chief Kyrylo Budanov said that the expectations of Ukrainian society from the NATO summit "will not be met" and that Ukraine will not be invited to join the Alliance during the event.