NATO Summit Vilnius 2023: Highlights & Key Takeaways

Zaheer Hussain
July 13, 2023
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As the summit concluded in Vilnius on July 12, 2023, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the fact that NATO leaders made major decisions to adapt the alliance for the future. Allies agreed on NATO’s most detailed and robust defence plans since the Cold War, reaffirmed their commitment to defence investment, agreed to bring Ukraine closer to NATO, and deepened global partnerships.

Why In The News?

Wrapping Up The Summit In Vilnius On 12 July 2023, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Welcomed That NATO Leaders Took Major Decisions To Adapt The Alliance For The Future.
Allies Agreed NATO’s Most Detailed And Robust Defence Plans Since The Cold War, Strengthened Their Commitment To Defence Investment, Agreed To Bring Ukraine Closer To NATO, And Deepened Partnerships Around The World.

NATO Summit Vilnius 2023 – Highlights

Mr Stoltenberg Chaired The Inaugural Meeting Of The NATO Ukraine Council, Where Allies Were Joined By Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Allies Have Agreed A New Multi-Year Assistance Package To Help Transition Ukraine From Soviet-Era To NATO Equipment And Standards And Make Their Forces Fully Interoperable With NATO.
At The Summit, Allies Also Reaffirmed That Ukraine Will Become A Member Of NATO And Agreed To Remove The Requirement For A Membership Action Plan. This Will Change Ukraine’s Membership Path From A Two-step Process To A One-step Process. NATO Issue An Invitation For Ukraine To Join NATO When Allies Agree That Conditions Are Met.
The Secretary-General Stressed That Allies Must Ensure That When This War Ends, There Are Credible Arrangements In Place For Ukraine’s Security. He Welcomed That Many Allies Have Now Committed To Providing Long-term Security Assistance To Ukraine.
Mr Stoltenberg Chaired A Meeting Of Allies With The Leaders Of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, The Republic Of Korea And The European Union. He Said That “NATO Is A Regional Alliance, But We Face Global Challenges”.
The Secretary-General Said That Beijing’s Global Assertiveness And Moscow’s War Against Ukraine Require Even Closer Coordination Between NATO, The EU And Indo-pacific Partners And That They Will Work Even More Closely Together, Standing Strong For The Rules-based International Order.
In Closing, Mr Stoltenberg Said That “NATO Is More United Than Ever” And Thanked President Nausėda, The Lithuanian Government And The People Of Vilnius For Hosting This Historic Summit. NATO’s Next Summit Will Take Place In Washington, D.C. 2024, Mark 75 Years Since The Alliance’s Founding.

NATO Summit Vilnius 2023 – Key Takeaways

The Summit Was Officially Proposed During The 2022 Madrid Summit And Its Dates Were Fixed On 9 November 2022. In The Summit, World Leaders Discussed The Ongoing Russian Invasion Of Ukraine As Well As Ukraine And Sweden’s Prospective Memberships In NATO.
Australia, Japan, New Zealand And South Korea Attended The Summit To Strengthen Their Ties With NATO Due To Increasing Tensions With China And Russia.
Following The Accession Of Finland To NATO Earlier In 2023, There Had Been An Expectation Among Many NATO Member States That Turkey And Hungary Will Complete The Ratification Process And Allow The Accession Of Sweden Before The Summit.
However, Due To Turkish Objections, It Was Unclear If Turkey Would Support Sweden’s Application By The Time Of The Summit. But Now The Green Signal Has Been Given By President Erdogan And The Process Of Sweden’s Membership Was Back On Track.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Said That He Wanted NATO To Allow Ukraine To Join As Soon As Possible After The War Ends. However, Other Nations Feared That Such Quick Admittance Of Ukraine To NATO Could Potentially Increase Russian Aggression And Drag Out The War Even Farther.
NATO Members Have Already Pledged 500 Million Euros For Critical Needs, Including Fuel, Medical Supplies, De-Mining Equipment And Pontoon Bridges for Ukraine. Further NATO Will Also Help Build Ukraine’s Security And Defence Sector, Including With Military Hospitals.

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