Polish, Lithuanian presidents back Ukraine's NATO membership ahead of Vilnius summit
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky met his Polish and Lithuanian counterparts, Andrzej Duda and Gitanas Nausėda, in Kyiv on June 28, to discuss military support and Ukraine's NATO aspirations.
The heads of state discussed the preparations for the upcoming July NATO summit in Vilnius. Both Duda and Nausėda said that the Alliance's summit should help put Ukraine on the path to membership, Zelensky's office informed.
"There is a real opportunity to make the decisions of the summit really necessary for the whole of Europe. It depends only on whether these decisions will be in the interests of the real strength of the Alliance, that is, aimed at inviting Ukraine to NATO," Zelensky said.
According to the official statement, Duda said that security guarantees for Ukraine are among the most important tasks for the Vilnius summit.
"We are deeply convinced that Ukraine's security is the security of all of us. These are our common interests – to make NATO as strong as possible in our part of Europe. And very shortly – for Ukraine to become a full member of the Alliance," the Polish president commented.
Both European leaders also assured Zelensky they will support Ukraine's EU aspirations, the president's office informed. Nausėda reportedly said that he hopes Kyiv will start EU accession negotiations already in 2023.
The president's office informed that Zelensky also thanked the Lithuanian president for purchasing two NASAMS air defense systems for transfer to Ukraine.
Vilnius also announced earlier on June 28 that it will provide 10 M113 armored vehicles and various types of munitions.
Both European leaders made an unannounced visit to Ukraine's capital on the country's Constitution Day on June 28 to discuss the upcoming summit, the security situation in Ukraine, and military aid.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
