Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato Secretary General, declared Ukraine would be invited to join Nato as the bloc looks to shore up its ally in the war it is fighting with Russia for control of its territory.
Mr Stoltenberg said the allies had decided on Tuesday to move beyond the position, adopted at a 2008 summit, that Ukraine could apply for membership. The 31-member alliance backed a proposal that stated an invite would be issued to Ukraine.
The decision was part of a three-point accelerated path to membership that will include the inaugural meeting of the Nato-Ukraine Council in Vilnius on Wednesday.
Ukraine's military is to be brought into the alliance in a process involving increased support from western allies.
Nato leaders will commit to offering more military support to ensure the country regains territory in the war with Russia, in turn boosting its integration with western forces, Mr Stoltenberg said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in Vilnius on Tuesday afternoon, hours after he published a warning on Twitter that unexpected conditions were being added during negotiations. These could show division, which would only encourage Russian aggression, he said. "Uncertainty is weakness," he wrote. "And I will openly discuss this at the summit."
Mr Zelenskyy later declared on Twitter he was grateful for new offers of support and would continue talks with counterparts on Thursday.
Ukrainian officials had wanted a timetable but Mr Stoltenberg said there had never been any timetables for a Nato accession.
"If you look at other membership processes, there has not been a timeline," he said, adding that the two-step process of issuing an invite followed by a conditions-based membership action plan had be cut to one. "We wish to issue an invite to Ukraine to join when conditions are met. What we are saying in the communique is that Nato has moved beyond a membership action plan."
Kaja Kallas, the Estonian Prime Minister, said there was a common understanding that Ukraine could not join Nato while the war with Russia was still being fought. She added, however, that it should only be a "short track" to Kyiv's accession thereafter.
"We understand that it can't happen while the war is going on, and nobody's really demanding that, not even the Ukrainians, but we have to make sure that when all the conditions are met and we have the opportunity window when the war is over, then we can do this fast," she said.
"It is very important that, you know, the assurances that the [Nato] countries give are very practical."
"What it really means ... is that the West is behind Ukraine."
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were the first leaders at the summit to announce further significant weapons packages aimed to give Ukraine's armed forces more punch on the battlefield.
"I have decided to increase deliveries of weapons and equipment to enable the Ukrainians to have the capacity to strike deeply," Mr Macron said.
Britain said in May that it was supplying the Storm Shadow, a Franco-British surface-to-air missile produced by MBDA. Its French version, known as Scalp, has a range of about 250km.
Mr Macron said the delivery would adhere to France's policy of assisting Ukraine in defending its territory, implying that Paris had received assurances from Kyiv that the missiles would not be fired into Russia.
Germany's new aid package, valued at nearly €700 million ($769 million), includes two Patriot missile system launchers, 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles and 25 Leopard 1 tanks, as well as 20,000 artillery rounds and 5,000 rounds of smoke ammunition.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed an eight-fold increase in the UK’s production capacity of 155mm artillery ammunition under a new £190 million contract.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The biog
Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.
Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.
Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.
Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
Favourite food: Dim sum
Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.
