VILNIUS, July 12. /TASS/. During their summit in Vilnius, NATO member countries have made the decision to scrap the membership action plan for Ukraine and vowed to invite Kiev when all conditions for membership are met, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a news conference after the first day of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

Responding to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s criticism of the summit’s decisions, Stoltenberg said that NATO has never set exact timeframes for its would-be members.

Simplifying the procedure

"We reaffirmed that Ukraine will become a member of NATO and agreed to remove the requirement for a Membership Action Plan. This will change Ukraine’s membership path from a two-step process to a one-step process," the NATO secretary general has told reporters. "We will issue an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO when Allies agree and conditions are met. This is a strong package for Ukraine and a clear path towards its membership in NATO."

In his words, conditions for Ukraine’s admission will be assessed by NATO members.

"It has to be Allies that assess as we always do, when we have enlargement, whether their conditions are met and then make the decision on an invitation," the official said, adding that all member countries must give their consent to Kiev’s admission.

Speaking about preconditions, Stoltenberg stressed that Ukraine needs to modernize and reform its defense and security institutions.

All allies agree that when a war is going on, that's not the time for making Ukraine a full member of the alliance," he said.

Response to Zelensky’s criticism

NATO never sets concrete timeframes for candidates during the process of admission, Stoltenberg said, commenting on Zelensky’s criticism of the summit’s declaration and its provisions on Ukrainian accession.

"If you look at all other membership processes, there have not been timelines for those processes, they are conditions based, have always been," he said.

Earlier, the Ukrainian president expressed his discontent over the fact that NATO members were not setting exact timeframes neither for Ukraine’s invitation nor for its membership. He claimed that "Ukraine deserves respect" and described NATO’s decisions as weakness.

Aid program and NATO-Ukraine council

According to the secretary general, NATO members have approved a program of military aid to Ukraine for years to come and the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

"Today, Allies have agreed a package of three elements to bring Ukraine closer to NATO," he announced. "First, a new multi-year assistance program for Ukraine, to enable the transition from Soviet-era to NATO standards, training and doctrines. Second, a new NATO-Ukraine Council, a forum for crisis consultations and decision-making, where we will meet as equals."

Stoltenberg said the first session of the council will be held on Wednesday with Zelensky’s participation.

Training since 2014

Stoltenberg also admitted that the alliance began "to train and equip Ukrainian armed forces" back in 2014, after the state coup that brought a nationalist government to power.

He added that NATO member states have confirmed plans to train Ukrainian pilots for flying F-16 fighter jets.

In his words, Ukraine "has come so much closer to this Alliance."

"Ukraine has come so much closer to this Alliance over all these years because especially since 2014, when NATO Allies started to train and equip Ukrainian armed forces, but even more so after 24 February last year," he said. "Ukraine has demonstrated capabilities, skills and has been more and more integrated with NATO. This is also a consequence of the equipment which NATO Allies are delivering. Because for instance, when we deliver modern battle tanks, or advanced air defense systems, a consequence of that is also more interoperability, more NATO standards, doctrines and the gradual movement from the Soviet era doctrines, standards and equipment to NATO."

"When we start with training of pilots for F-16 it will even more add to this important interoperability which has always been a requirement for NATO membership. So this is moving Ukraine closer to NATO and to NATO membership," Stoltenberg added.