At the NATO summit, which started today in Washington, there will be many unusual things. This is due to the special format and non-standard security situation. What exactly is causing curiosity, expectations, and concerns?
Anniversary
This summit will be an anniversary one: the Alliance was founded on April 4, 1949. The signatories were 12 European and North American countries. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the bloc, and over this period, the structure is demonstrating a situation very close, if not entirely, to a fiasco. That is why it is expected that a series of important and quite radical decisions aimed at stabilizing the world will be announced at the meeting. Due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict remaining a pulsating threat, revolutionary measures are expected in this direction.
Open Secret
The visit of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky was not officially announced. However, on July 9, he arrived in the USA. The reasons behind the attempts to keep this visit undisclosed are not clear, as Zelensky had previously met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Poland remains a transit point for any trips of Ukrainian politicians to third countries.
The presence of the President of Ukraine at the summit is quite logical considering the context of discussions, so his absence would have been unclear. Therefore, creating intrigue around the issue with a star was unnecessary. The details of the trip remain undisclosed, but it is known that a meeting with the current President of the USA is planned.
Ukraine’s Status at the Summit
Among the participants at the event from July 9 to 11 will be:
- 32 countries that are already NATO members;
- 35 countries considered partners of the Alliance.
Ukraine’s status – a partner country of NATO.
Key Issues
It is known that the main program will include consideration of the following key issues:
- protection of the block in the face of Russian aggression;
- collective defense;
- military presence on the eastern flank of the Alliance (geographical aspects, quantity, and technical equipment);
- nuclear deterrence.
The Ukrainian issue somehow relates to each of these points.
What to Expect
On the eve of an important NATO summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a significant statement. He announced that during the meeting in Washington, an enhancement of the Ukrainian air defense system will be declared. It is expected that Ukraine will receive additional Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems or similar systems. This substantial reinforcement will help protect the country from Russian aggression.
On the last day of the NATO summit, US President Joe Biden will host events with nearly 20 allies and partners who have already signed security agreements with Ukraine. Among the participants will be Volodymyr Zelensky. This is an important step in strengthening international support for Ukraine.
Many politicians and experts believe that the actual date of Ukraine’s accession to NATO is not before 2028. At the same time, the so-called “German scenario,” under which Ukraine would be accepted into the Alliance without the occupied territories, is not officially considered. However, informal discussions on this topic are ongoing, as mentioned by Zelensky himself on several occasions.
A Foreknown End
However, it is not worth expecting that any revolutionary changes will take place during the summit and unexpected decisions will be made. This does not happen in one day. In reality, all options have been worked out and agreed upon in advance, they will just be announced to the community during the summit. Evidence of this is the fact that even the draft of the final communiqué is already prepared. However, officials do not have the right to disclose it, so they refrain from specifics for now. The only thing that characterizes Ukraine’s path to joining the Alliance is the word “irreversible.”
