NATO will increase level of partnership with Ukraine - source

This is Germany's position with which it is going to the NATO summit, an Ukrinform correspondent reports, citing sources in the German government.

"It is clear that there will be no invitation at the summit. It is also obvious that there will be a significant improvement and intensification of relations," a German politician said.

He recalled that the question of Ukraine's NATO membership can be put on the agenda only after the war ends, in which Russia should not achieve its goals, therefore, it should not win. At the same time, an official close to the process of preparations for the summit admitted that the allies continued to consult on the wording that will be included in the final document regarding the prospects of membership. The terms of security guarantees remain uncertain.

According to the German leadership, it is necessary to concentrate on what the alliance has a consensus on, and there is no consensus on membership, but there is a consensus on the issue of "partnership development."

Therefore, Berlin expects a "significant deepening of the partnership." The source called raising the status of the NATO-Ukraine Commission to the level of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which will meet four times a year, a "qualitative step forward," so NATO is "intensifying steps towards rapprochement."

For now, according to him, it is necessary to concentrate on what helps in this specific military situation. "The goal is to increase Ukraine's defense capability, to give Ukraine the opportunity to defend itself against possible further aggressions, if it comes to that. First and foremost, we are talking about military aid, as well as economic, financial and diplomatic aid," the politician said. He also hinted that at the summit in Vilnius, Germany would announce new arms shipments to Ukraine, but expressed doubt that they would include long-range Taurus missiles.

In general, the politician concluded, the Vilnius summit will demonstrate long-term solidarity with Ukraine and send a signal to Moscow that long-term support for Ukraine will continue for as long as it takes.

Commenting on the possibility of Russia resorting to provocations during the summit, he said that "NATO is ready for anything, and provocations is a bad idea."

The NATO summit will be held in Vilnius on July 11-12. Germany will be represented by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.