Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted early pledges of unity at the NATO summit on Tuesday when he berated allies for failing to set a firm timeline for his country to join the alliance.
The outside chatter came hours after NATO announced a breakthrough that would allow Sweden to join as its 32nd member, the second new arrival since Russia began invading its neighbor last year.
He took to Twitter to voice his complaints after saying Ukraine would be “represented” at the summit — amid indications he would meet President Joe Biden here, saying the attendance would be about “respect.”
‘But Ukraine also deserves respect. Now, on our way to Vilnius, we received signals that certain formulations are being discussed without Ukraine. And I would like to emphasize that this wording is about the invitation to join NATO, not Ukraine’s membership,” he said.
“It is unprecedented and absurd that no timetable has been set for the invitation, nor for Ukraine’s membership. While at the same time adding vague words about “conditions” even for inviting Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
‘Abusrd’: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a statement berating NATO for refusing to commit to a timeline for his country’s accession. President Biden said days earlier that Ukraine was not “ready” to join
“This means that an opportunity is left to negotiate Ukraine’s NATO membership with Russia,” he said. “And for Russia, this means motivation to continue its terror.”
He said in a speech Monday night that Ukraine expects an “algorithm” to join, amid signals that key allies were working on a statement offering security guarantees.
“We are still working on the formulation, that is, on the specific words of such confirmation, but we already understand that Ukraine will be in the alliance,” he said before his Twitter explosion on Monday. “And we are working to make the membership acquisition algorithm as clear and fast as possible,” he said.
His remarks came after President Joe Biden vowed earlier Tuesday in Lithuania to defend “every inch” of NATO territory, as the powerful alliance took a major step toward adding its 32nd member.
Biden spoke of the “historic moment” facing the alliance, while praising NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, whose term has been extended.
“I think at this critical time in Ukraine and the whole NATO issue, it is very important that you continue to lead NATO. You are trusted; no one knows the situation we face better than you,” Biden told him.
And this is a historic moment. Adding Finland and Sweden to NATO has consequences. And your leadership really matters. And we agree on the language you propose, regarding Ukraine’s future to join NATO. And we are looking for a lasting united NATO,” he said.
“I still think President Putin thinks the way he succeeds is to break NATO and we’re not going to do that,” the president said during a photo session with Stoltenberg.
The president was speaking in the capital of Vilnius at the start of a NATO summit when his national security adviser said rumors of division over support for Ukraine are “greatly exaggerated.”
“As I’ve said before, we take — NATO takes — we all take Article V literally,” Biden said as he met with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda at the start of the summit on Tuesday.
He said that all NATO members have committed themselves to the mutual defense obligations of the NAT Charter. “We are together against whoever violates that space. We’re going to defend every inch of it,” he said.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan warned on Tuesday that Vladimir Putin will be “disappointed” by what emerges from a key NATO summit in Lithuania.
President Biden’s top aide lashed out at claims that divisions had erupted over Washington’s decision to send controversial cluster bombs to Kiev’s armed forces.
President Joe Biden vowed to defend “every inch” of NATO territory during his meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda at the Presidential Palace at the start of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania Tuesday
Biden kicked off the summit after a major breakthrough that would grow the alliance to 32 members
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was among a chorus of voices expressing concern about shipping the highly lethal weapons to the war-torn country.
But in a response to DailyMail.com, Sullivan rejected claims that the 31-nation military alliance was split over its support for the Ukrainian military.
“I would say rumors of the death of the NATO unit were greatly exaggerated,” he said. “Vladimir Putin counted on the West to crack, NATO to crack and the Transatlantic Alliance to crack and he has been disappointed at every turn.”
The Russian tyrant will be “deeply disappointed” by what emerges from the two-day meeting in Lithuania, Sullivan added.
And in a clear sign that tensions were rising, Russia’s ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov accused Washington of plotting a “showdown” with Moscow.
Biden signed a book before his meeting with the Lithuanian president
Biden praised the strength of the alliance. The US employs about 1,000 troops in Lithuania, Russia’s border ally Belarus
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, right, welcomes US President Joe Biden to the Presidential Palace ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius
Biden advisers say alliance unity is on display in Vilnius
“Everything is being done to prepare domestic public opinion for the approval of the anti-Russian decisions that will be taken in Vilnius in the coming days,” he told RIA news agency, a spokesperson for the Kremlin.
Biden’s comments came at the height of his first full day in Vilnius.
He started his day by greeting Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and signing a guest book.
A reporter asked him what led Turkey to agree to Sweden’s membership in the alliance.
‘What do you think?’ Biden said without elaborating. He said he was not surprised that Sweden came in.
Biden also viewed a guard of honor, as he did in Windsor on Monday.
Like during his meeting with King Charles, Biden put a hand on his host and put his hand on Nauseda’s back as they watched the guard of honor, part of Lithuania’s Grand Duke Gediminas staff battalion.
He then held a bilateral meeting with Nauseda, accompanied by Secretary of State Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Sullivan.
Nauseda said, “The situation in our region is unfortunately deteriorating and we see what is happening around us,” warned that Belarus was growing closer to Russia.
“Lithuania is probably one of the most enthusiastic supporters of transatlantic ties,” he said.
The summit ‘takes place in the absolute vicinity of hostile countries. This is a symbolic event, symbolic, but at the same time this is a great opportunity to make decisions,” he said.
Ukraine is seeking temporary security guarantees from the US and its allies pending NATO accession.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will hold talks with Joe Biden on Wednesday as part of that push for legally binding protection against future Russian aggression.
On Monday, the Mutual Defense Club agreed to scrap its so-called Membership Action Plan for Kiev, traditionally a waiting room for countries to sign up.
It means in theory that Ukraine is about to join, but Joe Biden has warned that won’t happen until the war is over.
A “reform path for Ukraine” will be drawn up, but “I can’t put a timeline on it,” Sullivan said.
He ruled out any immediate entry for Western-backed Ukraine given the ongoing war against the Russian invasion, saying it would “pull NATO into war with Russia.”
A paper by ex-NATO chief Ander Fogh Rasmussen and his chief of staff Andriy Yermak last year suggested a Kyiv Security Compact, effectively a shadow of NATO membership, to protect the country and its people from future Russian aggression.
It said it should include the US, UK, Canada, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Australia and Turkey, as well as the Baltics, Central and Eastern Europe.
Ukraine first became eligible for NATO membership in 2008, but was never offered a formal process to join for fear Russia would be provoked by such a move.
Under Article 5 of the Alliance’s Mutual Defense Treaty, an attack on one NATO ally is considered an attack on all.
But it is not automatic and the clause requires the approval of all NATO countries to be activated.
That has happened only once since NATO was founded in 1949; in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks and George W. Bush’s invasion of Afghanistan.
The focus on Ukraine comes as Turkey backed down from blocking Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Monday.
It followed hours of last-minute diplomacy that saw the US give the go-ahead for the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to the Turkish government.
NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg made the announcement in a joint statement with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swede Ulf Kristersson.
Erdogan said he would urge Turkish MPs to ratify Sweden’s application to join the 31-member mutual defense club “as soon as possible.”
Earlier, the strong leader had linked the dropping of his opposition to Stockholm’s possible membership to the revival of long-failed accession negotiations with the EU.