NATO to discuss future of partnership with Ukraine

NATO member states will mainly focus on three agenda items that include defense and deterrence, support to Ukraine, and global partnerships at the upcoming Washington summit in July, said the alliance chief Monday.

Jens Stoltenberg told the NATO parliamentary assembly session in Sofia that defense and deterrence will be the first topic of the summit. Allies must deliver on the defense plans with force, capabilities, and readiness and demonstrate burden-sharing regarding defense spending.

Stoltenberg underlined that he is “optimistic” about burden sharing and the ability of allies to demonstrate that NATO is stepping up in defense, deterrence and defense investments.

“We will at least have two-thirds of allies spending 2% of gross domestic products (GDP) on defense by the Washington summit,” he said, noting that he cannot provide the final numbers yet.

He said the second main topic is ensuring a “more stable” flow of supplies and long-term financial commitment to Ukraine.

“I expect that by the summit in Washington, we will agree on a stronger NATO role in organizing, providing, planning, delivering supplies to ensure more stable flows of supplies to Ukraine,” the NATO chief said.

“But to make this really effective, we also need a better organization that provides more accountability, transparency, predictability, and the delivery of supplies, but we will also need a more long-term financial commitment,” the NATO chief added.

“I hope that allies can agree on a multi-year financial pledge because the Ukrainians need more long-term knowledge or more predictability to plan and to invest to ensure that they have the forces they need to defend against the Russian invaders, but also in the future to deter against future Russian aggression,” Stoltenberg added.

He said global partnerships, particularly those in Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, will be the third topic.

Stressing that security “is not regional but global,” he said partners from Asia Pacific have been invited to the Washington summit, reflecting that the alliance is expanding its cooperation with these countries.

He added that partners from Asia Pacific have been invited to the Washington summit, reflecting the alliance’s expansion of cooperation with these countries.

“We share the same values. We believe in democratic open societies. But we also strongly believe in the need to stand together in upholding those values,” he said.

The NATO summit, which will be held in Washington from July 9 to 11, will commemorate the alliance’s landmark 75th anniversary.