WASHINGTON – In a highly anticipated summit next week, NATO is set to unveil concrete measures to accelerate Ukraine’s eventual membership in the Atlantic alliance. According to a senior U.S. official, the summit will also focus on building resilience against China and addressing other security challenges.
The summit, to be held in Washington, will see the participation of foreign ministers from 35 non-NATO member partners, including Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. This year also marks the third consecutive summit where heads of state from all 32 NATO allies will engage in discussions with leaders from its Indo-Pacific partners – Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.
The agenda for the summit includes discussions on strengthening Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression, building future forces to deter Russia, and implementing necessary reforms to make Ukraine a stronger candidate for NATO membership. This is in line with NATO’s commitment to support Ukraine’s path towards membership, as stated by the United States and all NATO allies.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Douglas Jones, stated that the summit will focus on the future of NATO and how it can continue to transform and adapt itself to meet future challenges. This includes supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, working with partners to build resilience against threats and challenges from China, and addressing hybrid and cyber threats.
Jones also highlighted the importance of NATO’s partnerships, with 35 countries around the world having a formal partnership relationship with the alliance. All of these countries will be invited to attend the summit at the level of foreign ministers, including Israel and many countries in the Middle East.
The summit is also expected to address the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently visiting Kyiv and urging President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider a cease-fire with Russia. Jones stated that while it is good that Orban visited Ukraine, the decision to discuss a cease-fire and the terms of any peace settlement ultimately lies with Ukraine.
In addition to discussions on Ukraine, the summit will also focus on NATO’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Jones stated that all heads of state and governments of NATO’s Indo-Pacific partners will be present at the summit, with the aim of discussing the links between security in the Euro-Atlantic space and in the Indo-Pacific.
One key topic of discussion will be the establishment of a NATO liaison office in Tokyo, intended as a hub for cooperation with Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. However, Jones clarified that this proposal is currently not under active discussion within the alliance.
As the summit coincides with NATO’s 75th anniversary, more than two dozen influencers have been invited to observe the proceedings and create social media content to commemorate the milestone. This highlights the importance of the summit and its discussions in shaping the future of the alliance.
In conclusion, the NATO summit in Washington next week is set to be a significant event, with a focus on accelerating Ukraine’s path to membership and addressing common security challenges. With the participation of foreign ministers from non-NATO member partners and heads of state from Indo-Pacific partners, the summit highlights the importance of partnerships in ensuring global security.
