Nato leaders to offer major new support package to Ukraine, but no membership for now

Nato leaders will agree next week to help modernise Ukraine’s armed forces, create a new high-level forum for consultations and reaffirm that it will join their alliance one day, the organisation’s top civilian official has said. But the war-torn country will not start membership talks soon.

At a two day summit starting on Tuesday in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, US president Joe Biden and his counterparts will also agree to boost defence spending as allies pour weapons, ammunition and other support such as uniforms and medical equipment into Ukraine, 17 months into the war.

They also hope to welcome Sweden as the next member of the world’s biggest security organisation of they can overcome Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s objections, even though its accession would only be made official in the coming months.

“For 500 days, Moscow has brought death and destruction to the heart of Europe, seeking to destroy Ukraine and divide Nato,” secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Friday. “At the summit, we will make Ukraine even stronger, and set out a vision for its future.”

Stoltenberg said the leaders “will agree a multi-year programme of assistance to ensure full interoperability between the Ukrainian armed forces and Nato”.

A Nato-Ukraine Council, where crisis talks can be held, will also be established. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the council’s first meeting in Vilnius on Wednesday.

Stoltenberg said the leaders “will reaffirm that Ukraine will become a member of Nato and unite on how to bring Ukraine closer to its goal”. Nato first pledged that Ukraine would become a member one day in 2008, but things have evolved little since then.

Asked when, or how, Ukraine might join, Stoltenberg said that the “most important thing now is to ensure that Ukraine prevails”.

The US, Germany and some other allies consider that Ukraine should not be invited in while it’s at war, so as not to encourage Russia to widen the conflict.

Question marks remain about Sweden’s future in Nato. It abandoned a long history of military non-alignment last year to seek protection under the organisation’s security umbrella after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Erdogan appears set to steal the summit limelight. He has accused Sweden of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara says pose a security threat, including militant Kurdish groups and people associated with a 2016 coup attempt.

Hungary is also holding up approval of Sweden’s candidacy, but has never clearly stated publicly its concerns. Nato officials expect that Hungary will follow suit once Turkey lifts its objections. Nato requires the unanimous approval of all 31 members to expand.

Despite the mounting pressure, Turkey’s president stood firm on Friday.

At a graduation for military students, Erdogan said: “We are ready to embrace anyone who is loyal to the alliance’s core values. We do not hesitate to show our reaction toward those who protect terrorists and do not take the necessary measures in the fight against terrorism.”