NATO members have pledged their support for an “irreversible path” toward future membership for Ukraine and have committed additional aid.
While a formal timeline for Ukraine to join the military alliance was not set during the summit in Washington DC, the 32 NATO members expressed their “unwavering” support for Ukraine’s war efforts.
NATO also announced increased integration with Ukraine’s military, and members have committed €40bn ($43.3bn, £33.7bn) in aid over the next year, including F-16 fighter jets and air defense support.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized, “Support to Ukraine is not charity – it is in our own security interest.”
The ongoing invasion of Ukraine was the primary focus of NATO’s summit, and a declaration agreed upon by all members identified Russia as the “most significant and direct threat” to security.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that US-built F-16 jets are in the process of being transferred to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands. This marks the first time Ukraine will receive these advanced aircraft, which Kyiv has long sought. Blinken stated that the jets would be operational “this summer.”
NATO members agreed to establish a new unit to coordinate military aid and training for the Ukrainian army, aiming to strengthen ties between the alliance and Ukraine. The joint statement highlighted that these measures, along with individual aid commitments, “constitute a bridge to Ukraine’s membership in NATO.”
The statement also noted that Ukraine had made “concrete progress” on the “required democratic, economic, and security reforms” in recent months but specified that a formal membership invitation would only be extended when “conditions are met.”