The G7 summit in Vilnius ended yesterday: a compromise was found on Kiev's membership

The G7 summit in Vilnius ended yesterday: a compromise was found on Kiev's membership.

All allies agree that Ukraine will one day be in NATO.
“Zelensky and I talked about the guarantees we can give in the meantime, and I thank the G7 leaders for the security guarantees: we will help Ukraine build a strong defense, so that it is a source of stability in the region.
This is a powerful statement for Ukraine”. The US president said it Joe Biden presenting the G7 security guarantees with all leaders present, including EU leaders.

The G7 “Reiterates that, consistent with our respective legal systems, Russia's sovereign assets in our jurisdictions will remain immobilized until Russia pays for the damage caused to Ukraine.” It can be read in G7 statement seen by ANSA. "We recognize the need to establish an international mechanism for reparation for damage, loss or injury caused by Russian aggression and express our willingness to explore options for the development of appropriate mechanisms.”
“If today the G7 agrees on the declaration for security guarantees it will be an important step because the text says that they are valid to cover our path on the road to NATO”. The Ukrainian president said so Volodymyr Zelensky in a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

There are also the words of the conference by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: “The world is increasingly uncertain. The unity of the allies must be confirmed. And Italy claims its role within the alliance. Wars are increasingly hybrid, we need to pay attention to 360 degrees. There is the certainty of Atlantic unity to defend its values ​​and international law rules without which no one would be safe. It is important to invest in strengthening our defense industry and capacity. Our freedom has a cost, and it is good to remind those who would like us to demobilize this. The investment in defense returns 10-100 times in the ability to defend national interests". And then: “The President of the United States has invited me to the White House on July 27th.”
But since the morning the declarations of the other leaders of the Atlantic pact had all gone in the direction of confirming full support for Ukraine even if the conditions and times for Kiev to join the alliance remain to be defined. This morning the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance spoke, Jens Stoltenberg: “Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever,” he said. “The allies have said that Ukraine will be a member of NATO when the conditions are right.”

The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen she intervened upon arriving in Vilnius: The European Union strongly supports "Ukraine's desire not only to join the EU but also NATO. This is why institution-strengthening reforms are essential, such as the fight against corruption, and the European Union is working alongside Ukraine on these reforms." A support, he reiterated, which also amounted to "70 billion euros" in favor of the population, in addition to the sending of "military equipment".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives to discuss with NATO leaders on the second day of the Vilnius summit with the intention of being “on the same wavelength” with all allies. Zelensky himself says this, before entering Litexpo, the exhibition complex on the outskirts of the Lithuanian capital where the summit meets, using different tones compared to yesterday afternoon's tweet. “On the agenda today – says Zelensky – we have three priority issues. The first is weapon packs, new weapon packs to support our army on the battlefield. The second is the invitation to NATO and we want to be on the same wavelength with everyone. Today what we hear and understand is that we will have this invitation, when security measures allow it: I want to discuss all these things with our partners. The third thing we will talk about today and which I intend to fight for are security guarantees on the road to NATO."
After the bilateral meeting between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Vilnius, an agreement was reached for a further supply of Patriot anti-missile missiles with their launchers to Ukraine. “There is an agreement for additional Patriot launchers and missiles from Germany – Zelensky wrote on Telegram -. This is very important to protect life in Ukraine from Russian terror. I am grateful for Germany's willingness to provide long-term support for Ukraine and our defense of freedom."

“The decision to let Ukraine join NATO actually exists, the point is when – said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in an interview from Vilnius – Certainly not during the war due to the risks of escalation: we all thought about having Kiev join after the end of the war. We are helping Kiev defend its independence, its territory. Peace cannot ignore the fact that Russian soldiers leave Ukraine. Regarding the end of the war, it is difficult to understand what Moscow intends to do. We want the Ukrainians to be able to reconquer important parts of their territory."

Stoltenberg's message on the admission of Ukraine: “We will proceed when the allies agree.” Zelensky attacks: “It's absurd that there isn't a date yet. Stronger alliance with Kiev inside."

NATO will be “able to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when allies agree and conditions are met.” The leaders of the 31 allied countries, meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, managed to find a compromise on a formula that puts limits on Kiev's prospect of membership.

In the evening Stoltemberg said “Under our new plans, NATO aims to have 300.000 high-readiness troops, including significant air and naval power.” This was stated by the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance during the press conference held at the end of the first day of work at the NATO summit in Vilnius.
Stoltenberg also explained that “the allies have approved the most comprehensive defense plans since the end of the Cold War” with the aim of countering the two main threats that NATO is facing, namely “Russia and terrorism”.

Ready Moscow's response: “Preliminary results of the Vilnius NATO summit bring World War III closer.” The vice-president of the Russian Security Council wrote this on Telegram Dmitry Medvedev. “The West, completely mad, could think of nothing else. Predictability at the highest levels, to the point of idiocy. It's a dead end. World War III is approaching." he said, adding that this means that “the special military operation will continue with the same objectives”, one of which “is to prevent the Kiev Nazi group from joining NATO”.

The “conditions” that must be satisfied, explained NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, concern the reforms that the country must make to have solid defense institutions, "including the fight against corruption". Furthermore, Ukraine will have to have armed forces “interoperable” with those of NATO. The Alliance has decided to adopt a multi-year program of support for Kiev, to help it converge and become "nearest" to NATO. Furthermore, a NATO-Ukraine Council is established, which will be chaired tomorrow by Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president hoped to get more and did not take it well. Before arriving in Vilnius he had attacked the Alliance: “It is absurd and unprecedented that there is no time frame set for either the invitation or the accession of Ukraine. While, at the same time. Vague wording on 'conditions' is also added for the invitation to Ukraine. There seems to be no concern either to invite Ukraine into NATO or to make it a member of the Alliance. This means that a window of opportunity is left to negotiate Ukraine's NATO membership in negotiations with Russia. For Russia this is a motivation to continue terrorizing her. Uncertainty is weakness. And I will talk about it openly at the summit." Zelensky arrived in Vilnius in the afternoon, before the dinner attended by Biden, a sign that he must not have appreciated Zelensky's words.

“Sweden's entry into NATO is good news. Türkiye's decision to support the decision is good. Thus, the cohesion of the Atlantic Alliance is strengthened. Now more attention to the Middle East, Africa and the Indo Pacific." Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote it on Twitter, who arrived in Vilnius last night to participate in the NATO summit with the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto.

Stoltenberg: “Strong message from NATO to Kiev” A “very strong and positive message” will arrive from the NATO summit in Kiev to Ukraine, which “has come a long way from 2008 to today. You will see the language of the message” which will be approved by the leaders. “What I can say is that it will be a strong and positive message about Ukraine and the path towards membership” of NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says this during a public interview at the Litexpo in Vilnius, the fair on the outskirts of the Lithuanian capital where the summit of the Alliance's heads of state and government is meeting today. Stoltenberg responded to a Ukrainian in the audience who asked whether or not the word "invitation" to join NATO, addressed to Ukraine, would come out of the summit. Stoltenberg has so far talked about “path to NATO membership” and Ukraine "nearest" to the Alliance, with a three-part plan (multi-year assistance programme, NATO-Ukraine Council, affirmation that Ukraine will join NATO): at the Bucharest summit in April 2008, the allies had “welcomed Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership” and had “agreed that these countries will become members of NATO”.

G7 Foreign Ministers today signed a statement condemning North Korea's new launch of a ballistic missile into the Sea of ​​Japan.

“This provocative act by Pyongyang represents a serious threat to regional peace and international stability, yet another act carried out by the North Korean authorities which undermines the non-proliferation policy” commented the Vice President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation International, Antonio Tajani. “With our G7 colleagues we maintain constant contact on all the main international issues, starting with the war in Ukraine, therefore we wanted to express our strongest condemnation for this unacceptable act which risks causing further destabilization of the area of Indo-Pacific” observed the Deputy Prime Minister.