NATO membership offers ironclad “all for one, one for all” protection, but the 31 countries must agree unanimously on letting Ukraine in, and they're not united on this.įailing that, major allies like the U.S., U.K., France and Germany could pledge to shield the country from another attack. NATO and its Western partners are discussing ways to protect Ukraine after the war from a future invasion. It’s not really a topic for NATO - more for individual allies - but it’s set to dominate talks in Vilnius.

The summit will see a new forum for consultations created - the NATO-Ukraine Council. But it is helping to train and modernize its armed forces and security institutions to ensure that the country can take its place among NATO’s ranks after the war is over. NATO isn't ready to start membership talks with Ukraine yet. The West believes that Ukraine is standing up for its interests, and countries are pouring in billions in aid, economic and military support. Now, the country is trying to fend off a full-scale invasion by NATO’s old foe Russia. Bush led the charge in 2008, promising that Ukraine would become a member one day. The biggest item on NATO’s agenda is what to do about Ukraine. NATO hopes that Lithuania’s big neighbor, and Russia’s main backer, Belarus will play no surprise role. They will also weigh defense spending, and how to boost their budgets as aid to Ukraine eats into their military coffers. The leaders are set to endorse new defense plans should Russian President Vladimir Putin try to broaden Moscow’s war beyond Ukraine and westward into allied territory. The emphasis is on ensuring that Ukraine has support as long as the conflict continues, how to bring the country even closer to NATO without actually joining, and security guarantees Kiev might need to ensure that Russia doesn't invade again after the war is over.

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