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The NATO-Ukraine Council, established during the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, met in Washington, D.C., for the second time at the leadership level, with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy participating.

“Only our brave steps to accelerate Ukraine's NATO membership will protect Ukrainian children from deadly missiles, provide Ukraine with real security guarantees and create lasting peace for Europe and the Alliance,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis, who represented Lithuania at the meeting, said.

The head of Lithuania's diplomacy also drew attention to the fact that Putin was behaving increasingly brutally, not because of the international community's actions but because its response was not strong enough.

“Ukraine’s victory must become a strategic goal for the whole Alliance. If we lack determination, the war against Ukraine will last a long time – Russia’s aggression could come close to NATO’s door. Thus, Russia must be defeated in Ukraine,” Landsbergis said.

On the last day of the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., Landsbergis also attended a solemn ceremony, during which the leaders of the signatory states finalizing their respective security agreements and arrangements with Ukraine welcomed the announcement of the Ukraine Compact.

“Today, together with our allies and partners, we have consolidated the promise made to Ukraine in Vilnius that our support will be continuous and long-lasting,” Landsbergis, who represented Lithuania at the ceremony, noted after the ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The Ukraine Compact is a non-binding declaration of long-term support for Ukraine. It aims to accelerate collective efforts to build Ukraine's future forces, continue the supply of military equipment, and support Ukraine's defence industry.

The 25 Compact signatories include the United States of America, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Lithuania.

Photos: The U.S. Department of State