NATO Secretary General: Vilnius Summit has already made history on Sweden, will take key decisions on Ukraine, deterrence and defence

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Speaking at the start of a two-day NATO Summit in Vilnius on Tuesday (11 July 2023), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s agreement to forward the accession protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly as soon as possible, calling this an historic decision which is “good for Sweden, good for Türkiye, and good for the whole Alliance.”

At the Summit, Allies will also send a clear message that “we stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes,” and upgrade political ties with Kyiv – including at the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Mr Stoltenberg underlined that Allies will take decisions to reinforce deterrence and defence, and agree a more ambitious defence investment pledge. The Secretary General also welcomed that Allies will be joined by the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, underscoring that security is not regional, but global.