Stoltenberg, Zelenskyy have “very good conversation” as they discuss preparations for NATO summit 

Stoltenberg wrote about this on Twitter. 

The NATO Secretary General noted that he had a "very good conversation with President Zelenskyy on the latest developments in Ukraine, and our preparations for the NATO summit."

“In Vilnius, Allies will take decisions to step up support for the long haul, upgrade our political ties, and bring Ukraine closer to NATO,” he added. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had congratulated Jens Stoltenberg on the decision of Allies to extend his term as NATO Secretary General for another year. Zelenskyy and Stoltenberg also coordinated their positions ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius.

The President of Ukraine said that now is the time for powerful decisions and concrete steps towards Ukraine's integration into NATO.

In addition, Zelenskyy and Stoltenberg discussed the situation at the frontline and the latest developments inside Russia.

On July 4, the members of the North Atlantic Alliance extended Jens Stoltenberg's term as NATO Secretary General for a year, until October 1, 2024.

Ukraine's path to NATO and expectations from the Vilnius summit

Ukraine hopes to receive clear decisions on joining the Alliance in July during the NATO meeting in Vilnius. On May 23, Ukraine's ambassador to NATO, Natalia Galibarenko, mentioned that Ukraine is preparing two cooperation packages (political and practical), which will be presented for discussion during the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius. 

On May 30, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba outlined three key points that define Ukraine's vision for a successful outcome at the NATO summit in Vilnius. "Strengthen Ukraine-NATO institutional ties and assistance. Take a step toward UA membership. Provide security guarantees on Ukraine’s path to NATO." 

On June 10, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, Volodymyr Havrylov, expressed his belief that the July NATO summit in Vilnius  will set the algorithm for Ukraine's accession to the Alliance.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that Ukraine will become a NATO member in the future, but due to the ongoing war, specific dates for accession cannot be determined. However, he is confident that during the Vilnius summit, the member countries will work towards finding a solution regarding Ukraine's progress.

On June 15, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for Ukraine's membership in NATO with 425 votes in favor. 

On June 16, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on NATO chief Stoltenberg to drop the Membership Action Plan (MAP) if Ukraine joins NATO.

US President Joe Biden expressed support for removing the MAP stage, making the joining process simpler for Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine's role in Europe's defense and called on allies to invite the country to NATO.

James Cleverly, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the UK, assured support for Ukraine's simplified entry into NATO.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has valid reasons to receive a political invitation to NATO at the Vilnius summit.

On June 28, during a speech in parliament on Constitution Day, President Zelenskyy proposed 5 points of the Ukrainian Doctrine, which stipulates that Ukraine's future lies in the EU and NATO, for discussion.

On June 30, US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said that NATO member states are close to a consensus on Ukraine's accession to NATO without the MAP.

In an interview with CNN, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that an official invitation to join NATO is extremely important for Ukraine. He appealed to US leader Joe Biden to do so.

On July 4, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda called on NATO allies to offer Ukraine a simplified accession to the Alliance at the Vilnius summit to increase Ukrainians' effectiveness on the battlefield. His predecessor in office, Dalia Grybauskaitė, criticized the cautious mood ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius on the issue of Ukraine. She emphasized that if Ukraine is not offered NATO membership, it will be a mistake.