In a lengthy ninety-paragraph text, the joint communiqué of the heads of state and government of NATOfocuses on Russia-Ukraine, terrorism and further development of the Alliance’s defense military capabilities, with more spending.

In the joint communiqué, the NATO Heads of State and Government welcome that Turkey is ready to approve Sweden’s accession to the Alliance, without mentioning when this will be done. Specifically for Sweden’s accession, the following is stated: “We look forward to welcoming Sweden as a full member of the Alliance and, in this regard, we welcome the agreement reached between the Secretary General of NATO, the President of Turkey and the Prime Minister of Sweden” .

As for Ukraine, NATO leaders stress that they will “continue their support for as long as it takes” and “welcome the efforts of all Allies and partners involved in providing support to Ukraine.”

Regarding the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO, the joint communiqué of the Summit states the following: “We fully support Ukraine’s right to choose its own security arrangements. Ukraine’s future lies in NATO. We reaffirm the commitment we made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that Ukraine will become a member of NATO, and today we recognize that Ukraine’s path to full Euro-Atlantic integration has gone beyond the need for the Membership Action Plan.”

In addition, NATO leaders point out in the joint communiqué that: “Ukraine has become increasingly interoperable and politically integrated into the Alliance and has made substantial progress on the reform path.” It is also noted that NATO Foreign Ministers will regularly assess progress through the adjusted Annual National Programme. “The Alliance will support Ukraine in making these reforms on its way to future membership. We will be able to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when the Allies agree and the conditions are met.”

In addition, the heads of state and government of NATO welcome the creation of the NATO-Ukraine Council, on the basis of which Ukraine’s annual adaptation programs will be monitored, both in terms of the criteria it needs to become a member and in terms of the adaptation of its military. Specifically stating the following: “Ukraine’s security is of great importance to the Allies and the Alliance. To support Ukraine’s further integration into NATO, today we agreed a substantial package of expanded policy and practical support. We have decided to establish the NATO-Ukraine Council, a new joint body where Allies and Ukraine participate as equal members to advance political dialogue, engagement, cooperation and Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for NATO membership. It will provide for joint consultations, decision-making and activities, and will also serve as a crisis consultation mechanism between NATO and Ukraine.”

Regarding “non-lethal assistance” to Ukraine, NATO emphasizes that its urgent and necessary provision continues through the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) and remains a priority. “Since the Madrid Summit, Allies and partners have committed over 500 million euros”, specifically referred to in the joint communique. “To support Ukraine’s deterrence and defense in the short, medium and long term, we agreed today to further develop the CAP into a multi-year program for Ukraine. The assistance provided will help rebuild the Ukrainian security and defense sector and Ukraine’s transition to full interoperability with NATO.”

Regarding Russia, among other things, it states: “NATO does not seek confrontation and is not a threat to Russia. In light of its hostile policies and actions, we cannot consider Russia our partner. Any change in our relationship depends on Russia ending its aggressive behavior and fully complying with international law. We remain willing to maintain open channels of communication with Moscow to manage and mitigate risks, prevent escalation, and increase transparency. At the same time, we will continue to observe and assess the impact of Russia’s policies and actions on our security and respond to Russian threats and hostile actions in a unified and responsible manner.”

Broadly speaking, the joint communiqué of the NATO Summit identifies the two main threats to the Alliance today as Russian aggression and terrorism – problems which will be addressed through NATO’s three enduring strategic objectives: common defence, cooperative security and crisis management. In this context, the new regional programs envisage the deployment of 300,000 troops on high alert, including significant air and naval combat power.

“The nations face us now deeper threats and security challenges than at any other time since the end of the Cold War”, stress the NATO leaders, who are committed to invest “at least 2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually in defence”. They also emphasize: “We are committed to investing at least 20% of our defense budgets in major equipment, including related Research and Development. We recognize that this should be achieved in conjunction with at least 2% of GDP annual defense spending.”

Finally, special mention is made of NATO-EU relations, pointing out that “the EU remains a unique and essential partner for NATO”. It also states that “NATO recognizes the value of a stronger and more capable European defense that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary and interoperable with NATO. Developing coherent, complementary and interoperable defense capabilities, avoiding unnecessary overlaps, is key to our joint efforts to make the Euro-Atlantic area safer. Such efforts, including recent developments, will lead to a stronger NATO, help strengthen our common security, contribute to transatlantic burden sharing, help provide the necessary capabilities and support an overall increase in defense spending. Non-EU Allies continue to contribute significantly to the EU’s efforts to strengthen its capabilities to address common security challenges. The strategic partnership between NATO and the EU requires the full participation of non-EU Allies in the EU’s defense efforts.”