BRUSSELS – NATO leaders will reiterate the alliance’s support to Ukraine but will not grant Ukraine the status of an Enhanced Opportunity Partner during their summit in Brussels on July 11-12, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Stoltenberg said it on July 11 before the summit started on 2:30 p.m. Brussels time.
Ukraine, which applied for the advanced status in 2016, was hoping for NATO to approve its application during the summit.
NATO gives the EOP status to those partners who have most significantly contributed to NATO missions. For now, only five countries have the privileged designation: Australia, Finland, Georgia, Jordan and Sweden.
“I don’t expect NATO to make any decisions on EOP at this summit, but I think, I know that we will reiterate our strong support to Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg reminded that Ukraine and NATO have “many tools to develop our partnership.”
“We have the NATO-Ukraine Commission, we have Annual National Program, we have a substantial package of support, we have trust funds, we have many different ways to work together with Ukraine,” he said. “I think we should focus on this, deliver as much content as possible in the existing frameworks and help Ukraine to focus on reform and modernizing security and defense institutions.”
Stoltenberg believed the importance of this summit lies in the demonstration that “despite disagreements, despite frank and open discussions we will be able to deliver and to make decisions.”
“I’m confident that we will be able to do this,” Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg also commented on his July 11 meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Of course, President Trump has a very direct language, a message on defense spending, but fundamentally all allies agree that we need fair burden sharing,” Stoltenberg said.
During the July 11-12 summit NATO members are expected to launch a new training mission in Iraq, increase support for Tunisia with expert advice in areas including counter-terrorism and counter-improvised explosive devices, and step up support for Jordan, including on cyber defense, countering improvised explosive devices and crisis management. Also, the allies will adopt a readiness initiative – the “Four Thirties,” which is a commitment to have 30 mechanized battalions, 30 air squadrons, and 30 combat vessels, ready to use within 30 days or less, by 2020.
The allies will also discuss NATO’s response to hybrid threats.
On July 12, NATO will meet with the presidents of Georgia and Ukraine, as well as with operational partners in the mission in Afghanistan, and will invite Macedonia to start accession talks.
