“In all likelihood, leaders will adopt a series of measures aimed at bringing Ukraine closer to NATO. This package consists of three parts: the allies will adopt a multi-year assistance program focused on interoperability, they will raise the level of political relations between NATO and Ukraine – President Zelenskyy will attend the inaugural session of the NATO-Ukraine Council – and they will reaffirm that Ukraine will become a member of NATO and will emphasize their shared views on how Ukraine can move closer to its goal.

In addition, Allies will take important steps to strengthen their deterrence and defense posture: They will adopt three new regional defense plans aimed at countering NATO’s two main threats: Russia and terrorism. These plans will rely on a force of 300,000 highly operational troops, supported by a sizeable air and sea combat force.

Allies should also endorse a defense production action plan aimed at bundling demand, building industrial capacity and increasing interoperability, and a more ambitious defense investment commitment that calls for at least 2% of gross domestic product to be devoted to the sector each year become. The Secretary-General welcomed the increase in defense spending by Europe’s allies and Canada, which is projected to reach 8.3% in real terms in 2024, estimates released today show. This is the largest increase in decades, but also the ninth consecutive year of increases in defense spending,” said the Secretary-General. And to add: “The European allies and Canada will have committed more than $450 billion additional to our defense since the defense investment commitment made in 2014.”

The heads of state and government of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea as well as the European Union will take part in the summit in Vilnius. “This will be the first summit that Finland will attend as a member of NATO,” declared the Secretary General, adding: “We hope that Sweden will join the alliance as soon as possible.” After Thursday’s constructive meeting between high-level Officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland, Mr. Stoltenberg will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Vilnius on July 10.