The NATO Summit in Vilnius on 11-12 July 2023 came at a testing time for the alliance. With the Ukrainian offensive, Russia’s war on Ukraine has entered a delicate phase. NATO allies and EU member states are turning to questions about what the post-war settlement might look like, and there are strong calls for Ukraine to be admitted – as rapidly as possible – into both NATO and the EU. Thus, the Vilnius Summit was largely seen as a bellwether of how far the United States and its allies were in favour of offering Kyiv NATO membership now, all while it continues to fight and repel Russian forces. The answer to rapid membership: not quite yet Ukraine. Although the official communiqué stated that Ukraine’s “future is in NATO”, there are clear differences between NATO allies on when this future should begin and under what conditions.
Korea on Point, 2023
Daniel Fiott 