BRUSSELS, July 9. /TASS/. Several NATO countries are holding "advanced" and "frantic, last-minute" talks to finalize security guarantees to Ukraine ahead of the alliance’s summit in Vilnius on July 11-12, the Politico’s European edition said on Sunday, citing diplomatic sources.
The newspaper did not name concrete countries but said that the guarantees would provide for bilateral commitments on long-term assistance to Ukraine.
According to diplomats, each of these countries will determine, on a bilateral basis with Ukraine, a set of concrete obligations. "It is basically a guarantee towards Ukraine that we will, for a very long time to come, we will equip their armed forces, we will finance them, we will advise them, we will train them in order for them to have a deterrent force against any future aggression," the newspaper cited a senior NATO diplomat.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier that Ukraine will not be invited to join NATO during the summit but a signal will be sent to it that the alliance’s door stays open for it. He also said that NATO will adopt a log-term program of military assistance to Ukraine that would be implemented regardless of the conflict with Russia.