Leaders of member states belonging to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are gathering for a two-day summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. According to expectations, top-tier politicians will discuss a wide range of topics, with an emphasis on military aid to the Kiev regime and Sweden’s accession to the bloc. Ukrainian membership aspirations will also be discussed by political experts, yet no solid decisions are anticipated, because Western politicians are unlikely to give Kiev any guarantees until the end of the hostilities. Surprisingly, media reports indicate that the US is among the main opponents of Ukraine’s quick accession.
Ukraine applied for fast-track NATO membership in September 2022 following the start of the Russian military operation in February of that year. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has on numerous occasions said that the bloc was supportive of Kiev’s aspirations but was not ready to approve its bid to join right away, chiefly due to Ukraine’s active involvement in the current armed conflict.
