NATO Allies confirmed that Ukraine will become a member of NATO and agreed to lift the Membership Action Plan requirement. This will change Ukraine's membership path from a two-stage process to a one-stage one.

This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a press conference following the first day of the summit in Vilnius. The politician stressed that all discussions on Ukraine's accession to the defence alliance are possible only after the war with Russia is over.

"We have reached a common decision on the communiqué, and now Ukraine will receive membership as an exception, in a one-stage process. NATO Allies are also ready to support Ukraine with weapons and new aid packages," Stoltenberg added.

On the eve of the Vilnius summit, President Zelenskyy sharply criticised the indecision of Western partners. He pointed out that Ukraine deserves respect and should not be "fed breakfast", especially in the face of the vicious aggressor in the Kremlin.

"It looks like there is no readiness to invite Ukraine to NATO or make it a member of the Alliance. This means that there is still an opportunity to bargain for Ukraine's membership in NATO - in negotiations with Russia. And for Russia, this means motivation to continue its terror. Uncertainty is a weakness. And I will discuss this frankly at the summit," the politician said upon arrival in the Lithuanian capital.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL reported that during the Vilnius summit, France expressed its readiness to provide the Ukrainian army with long-range missiles.

These surface-to-air missiles were jointly developed by France and the United Kingdom in the 1990s. Their basic range is 250 km, but it can be extended to 500 or even 700 km depending on the modification.

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