VILNIUS, Lithuania-- Leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Tuesday failed to set a timetable for Ukraine's membership of the alliance, following the first day of the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
Speaking at a press conference, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said allies have agreed on a package of three elements to "bring Ukraine closer to NATO." However, he clarified that an invitation for Ukraine to join the alliance will be issued "when allies agree and conditions are met."
Stoltenberg said NATO leaders have also approved the "most comprehensive defense plans since the end of the Cold War," and endorsed a new defense action plan. Swedish expert Jan Oberg said NATO's pledge to ask its members to invest a minimum of 2 percent of GDP annually on defense was "absurd." A military budget "should be decided according to a comprehensive threat analysis, followed by a priority discussion, and never be tied to a country's economic ups and downs," Oberg added.
Sevim Dagdelen, a member of Germany's lower house of Parliament, told Xinhua in a recent interview that NATO is not a defense alliance, although that is the constant refrain of Western leaders.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NATO chief says no timetable set for Ukraine’s membership; Zelenskiy calls that ‘absurd’VILNIUS, Lithuania — NATO leaders said Tuesday that they would allow Ukraine to join the alliance “when allies agree and conditions are met” – a pronouncement that came just hours after
Read more »
NATO summit seeks agreement on Ukraine bid after Turkey deal on SwedenNATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says he had proposed Ukraine could skip a Membership Action Plan – a process for meeting political, economic and military goals.
Read more »
Russian diplomats berate US, Nato over UkraineThe U.S. is pushing Nato to the “most unfavorable” confrontation with Moscow with the decisions expected from the alliance’s summit in Lithuania this week, while Kyiv’s allies are “losing” in Ukraine, Russian diplomats said late on Monday. | Reuters
Read more »
Zelensky says he understands Ukraine will be in NatoPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said on the eve of the Nato summit that Ukraine will be part of the alliance and expects from the meeting an “algorithm” for Kyiv to officially join it. | Reuters
Read more »
Ukraine's Zelenskiy says lack of timeframe for NATO membership 'absurd'Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy calls for NATO to offer Ukraine a timeframe for membership.
Read more »
Ukraine turns heat on allies as NATO stalls on membership bidVILNUS, Lithuania - A frustrated President Volodymyr Zelensky launched a furious broadside against Ukraine's NATO allies Tuesday as they began a summit still unsure how to advance Kyiv's membership bid.
Read more »