Stoltenberg confirms that Zelenski will attend NATO summit in Vilnius

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenski has accepted the invitation and will attend the next NATO summit to be held in July in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. 

"I invited him to the meeting and I am glad that he has accepted and will attend the NATO summit in Vilnius," he told reporters at the US base in Ramstein, Germany, where the contact group on Ukraine's defence is meeting. 

Stoltenberg said that during his meeting with Zelenski in Kiev yesterday they discussed preparations for the upcoming NATO summit and that as NATO Secretary General he highlighted at least two important issues for Ukraine. 

"One is that I hope that NATO allies will reiterate at the summit their commitment to support Ukraine for as long as necessary with substantial military support to ensure that it prevails as a sovereign and independent nation in Europe," he said. 

In addition, Stoltenberg expects the Allies to agree on a multi-year programme to help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era equipment, standards and doctrines to NATO standards and doctrines and to ensure full interoperability between Ukrainian and NATO forces. 

On future NATO membership, Stoltenberg recalled that already yesterday in Kiev he reiterated that "Ukraine's future is in the Euro-Atlantic family" which and all partners have agreed that it should become a member of the alliance. 

But the main objective now, he said, is "of course to ensure that Ukraine prevails" and that Russian President Vladimir Putin "does not win the war", because "without a sovereign and independent Ukraine there is no point in discussing membership". 

"What we do know is that our support helps Ukraine to move towards Euro-Atlantic integration and that our help and our support helps them to make it possible," he added.