Kyiv's path to Nato membership is “irreversible” and the Ukrainian military will soon be operating US-made F-16 fighter jets as it defends against Russia’s invasion, US and European officials said on Wednesday.
Ukraine has long sought admission to Nato but member states have insisted the country must first carry out reforms, including a corruption clampdown and the modernisation of its armed forces.
The Ukrainian people “strongly support” such measures as Ukraine “moves irreversibly along the path of membership”, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the Nato summit in Washington, although he noted Kyiv could only join Nato once the war is over.
He added that the path for Ukraine to join Nato would become clearer over the course of the military alliance's 75th anniversary summit.
“We have an incredibly robust package that will be unveiled over the next couple of days at Nato that builds a very clear, strong, robust, well-lit bridge to Nato membership for Ukraine,” Mr Blinken said.
The alliance issued a statement in support of Ukraine's future membership.
“As Ukraine continues this vital work, we will continue to support it on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including Nato membership,” the 32 members said in a joint communique.
“We reaffirm that we will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when allies agree and conditions are met.”
The strongly worded communique by all 32 Nato members also took aim at China as “decisive enabler” of Russia's war against Ukraine.
The European and North American members and their partners in the Indo-Pacific increasingly see shared security concerns coming from Russia and its Asian supporters, especially Beijing.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the declaration about Ukraine's Nato membership was a “strong message from Nato allies” that clearly demonstrates their desire to see Ukraine to join the defence alliance.
“We are working with Ukraine to make that happen,” Mr Stoltenberg added.
Alexander Stubb, President of Finland, which joined Nato in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said it was “important to give a message to the Kremlin”.
“Ukraine’s path and bridge towards Nato membership is now irreversible,” Mr Stubb told reporters.
World leaders filed into a large auditorium at a Washington convention centre and were greeted by Mr Stoltenberg and Mr Biden, whose performance is under scrutiny following a debate performance last month in which he appeared incoherent at times.
“Every Nato member is committed to doing its part to keeping the alliance strong,” Mr Biden said.
Western leaders were repeatedly asked by members of their country's press corps if they thought Mr Biden, 81, was still capable of being president.
“Yesterday I talked with President Biden and there is no doubt that everything is OK,” Polish President Andrzej Duda said.
Other leaders declined to comment on US domestic affairs.
While Ukraine took up the bulk of the discussion, the alliance alluded to the Israel-Gaza war and described growing instability in the Middle East as a cause for concern, and Mr Stoltenberg announced that Nato will open a liaison office in Jordan's capital Amman.
“Conflict, fragility and instability in Africa and the Middle East directly affect our security and the security of our partners,” the joint statement said.
“Where present, these trends, among others, contribute to forced displacement, fuelling human trafficking and irregular migration.”
The alliance also took aim at Iran for what it described as “destabilising actions” which are “affecting Euro-Atlantic security”.
F-16s for Ukraine
Meanwhile, Ukraine's military will within weeks start flying US-made F-16 fighter jets that have been donated by the Danish and Dutch governments.
“As we speak, the transfer of F-16 jets is under way, coming from Denmark, coming from the Netherlands, and those jets will be flying in the skies of Ukraine this summer,” Mr Blinken said.
The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with additional ammunition for the fighter jets worth a total of €300 million ($324.6 million), the Dutch government said.
F-16s are among the most important military tools for Ukraine to receive, providing Kyiv with an offensive air capability as it struggles to counter an onslaught of Russian ground forces, missiles and drones.
The fighters are capable of intercepting Russian warplanes and of downing incoming missiles. Russia has repeatedly struck Ukrainian airbases, aiming to further deplete Kyiv’s already battered air force, as well as wipe out infrastructure that could be used to support the F-16s.
Last month, Moscow hit Starokostiantyniv in western Ukraine where it believes the F-16s could be housed.
The US has trained Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s at airbases in Arizona and Texas, though only in limited numbers.
Kyiv has long pleaded for F-16s as well as increased aerial defence capabilities. After months of delays and battlefield setbacks for the Ukrainian military, Nato is moving forward more assertively with that request.
“We are committed to further enhancing Ukraine’s air capabilities, which will include squadrons of modern fourth generation F-16 multi-role aircraft,” Mr Biden said in a joint statement with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
The announcement comes a day after Mr Biden said that the US would send additional Patriot missile defence systems to Ukraine to improve its ability to defend against Russian aerial assaults.
The increase in military aid comes after far-right Republican politicians blocked a US support package to Ukraine for months earlier this year.
Conservatives eventually lifted the block but Ukraine was forced to ration ammunition while it waited for more support, leaving Russia to make battlefield gains against Ukrainian forces. Nato and European countries have learnt from that delay, pledging to give more security assistance to Ukraine.
In recent weeks, Russia has increased its missile attacks, including striking Ukraine's largest children's hospital on Monday.
The attack on the hospital was widely condemned, including by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, who said Ukraine’s sickest children were “among the victims”.
Kyiv children's hospital hit by in Russian missile attacks – in pictures
