NATO members have pledged their support for an “irreversible path” to future membership for Ukraine, as well as more aid.
While a formal timeline for it to join the military alliance was not agreed at a summit in Washington DC, the military alliance’s 32 members said they had “unwavering” support for Ukraine’s war effort.
NATO has also announced further integration with Ukraine’s military and members have committed €40bn ($43.3bn, £33.7bn) in aid in the next year, including F-16 fighter jets and air defence support.
The bloc’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: “Support to Ukraine is not charity – it is in our own security interest.”
The ongoing invasion of Ukraine was top of the agenda at NATO’s summit, and a declaration agreed by all members said Russia “remains the most significant and direct threat” to security.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed US-built F-16 jets are in the process of being transferred to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands.
It will be the first time Ukraine has received the advanced aircraft, something which Kyiv has long called for.
Blinken told the summit the jets will be in use “this summer”.
NATO members agreed to set up a new unit to coordinate military aid and training for the Ukrainian army as part of measures designed to deepen ties between the alliance and Ukraine.
The joint statement said these measures, combined with aid commitments from individual members, “constitute a bridge to Ukraine’s membership in NATO”.
It said Ukraine had made “concrete progress” on “required democratic, economic, and security reforms” in recent months – but that a formal membership invitation would only be extended when “conditions are met”.
“As Ukraine continues this vital work, we will continue to support it on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership,” the statement added.
Biden used the summit to reaffirm his support for Ukraine and call for more defence investment from other members which have lagged behind on spending.
He said Russia is on a “wartime footing” in terms of defence production with support from Russia, North Korea and Iran – and leaders “cannot allow the alliance to fall behind”.
“We can and will defend every inch of NATO territory”, the president added.
