Vilnius summit brings Ukraine closer to NATO, strengthens Alliance
Turning Ukraine into "a force for stability in the region that can deter any kind of threat". This is the goal of NATO and the G7, according to US President Joe Biden. Ukraine's long-awaited NATO membership is not a possibility at the moment, but the communiqué inviting Kiev to join the Alliance is already on the table, albeit once the war is over. Hence the bittersweet taste that remains for President Volodymir Zelensky, who knows how complex it will be to topple the Kremlin on the battlefield.
However, the path will be smoothed for the Ukrainians, or at least that is the intention of the measures approved by NATO. The Atlantic Alliance, despite its internal disagreements in terms of interpretation of the world order, has shown its strongest and most unified face. NATO will go a step further by sending F-16 fighter jets, although they will not arrive alone. To these must be added French long-range missiles, more German tanks, anti-aircraft systems and the controversial US cluster bombs.
The volume of aid that has been pouring into Kiev since Russia's decision to invade Ukraine's sovereignty has led Zelensky's forces to have an arms capability greater than that of many Alliance countries. This makes sense in the roadmap that places Ukraine as NATO's main defender in Eastern Europe. Despite not being part of the organisation, it has become an essential strategic element in the chess game being played out on the international chessboard. This is reflected in the 31 NATO communiqué, which states that "Ukraine has become increasingly interoperable and politically integrated with the Alliance".
Hence, Ukraine is becoming more de facto than de jure NATO member. Without formal entry and far from the Alliance's stated invitation - which the United States did not fully agree to include in the communiqué - Ukraine is becoming a crucial ally and a key cog in the wheel that sustains regional stability, or what remains of it. And in this process, the Vilnius summit has emerged as a turning point.
Described as a success by its members, it has shown the unity required in a situation such as the one the world is going through. The closing of ranks in the face of Russian aggression remains intact and the meeting in the Lithuanian capital has shown what experts call a re-politicisation of the Alliance. For once, Washington was not the absolute orchestrator of the moves and words expressed by the organisation that it is used to moving as it pleases. On this occasion, NATO has shown strength from unity and not from the protective shadow of the United States. The only "but" that emerges from the summit is the differences that still divide certain factions of the Alliance over the vision of the international landscape.
The reconfiguration of the map can be seen from two poles, represented by Americans and Germans, or by Poles and their Baltic partners. While they share a common goal, the stakes for how to get there are not the same. The strong NATO countries are relying on a continuist line, which does not break with the "rules of the game" that have been drawn up in the course of developing international relations. On the other hand, the opposing side believes it is facing a situation where the solution lies in breaking with this trend and taking a step forward. This is where a dilemma arises that, for the time being, does not affect the situation in Ukraine.
All parties are clear that aid cannot stop and that it is necessary to provide Kiev with the tools to put an end to the Russian invasion. However, Zelenski, while grateful after the summit for the assistance provided by the West, believes that ending Russia on the battlefield is a task that, while feasible - and by no means easy - is a very long-term one. Extending the war by months or even years is a possibility that must be taken into account if, as all indications suggest, Ukraine's accession to NATO and the fulfilment of that invitation inevitably involves taking out Moscow by war.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.