NATO’s Secretary General says Ukraine is now closer to NATO membership than ever before with allies changing the path from a two-step to a one-step process.
Jens Stoltenberg says this is significant. The most important thing right now is to make sure the war ends in a just and lasting way, so right now Ukraine’s highest priority is Russia’s invasion.

For NATO members, that means a continued flow of military support. Stoltenberg says tens of billions of dollars in military aid has been promised to help beat back the Russian invasion and tens of thousands of troupes have been trained and equipped by NATO allies.

Once the war over, Stoltenberg stresses that NATO must ensure there are credible arrangements in place for Ukraine’s security, so that history doesn’t repeat itself.
He is pleased that many allies have now committed to providing long-term security assistance to Ukraine. Stoltenberg adds that the more military support for Ukraine, the more land they can liberate, and that means a stronger hand at the negotiating table for joining NATO. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union have announced their commitment to formalize their support to Ukraine, through bilateral long-term security commitments.

Next year’s summit is in Washington, with NATO celebrating its 75th anniversary.