Czech President Petr Pavel has arrived in Vilnius to participate in the NATO summit taking place over the next two days. Alongside President Pavel, the Czech Republic is represented by Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, Defense Minister Jana Cernochova, and Chief of General Staff Karel Rehka. Prior to the summit, President Pavel will also participate in the NATO Public Forum, where prominent international politicians will discuss summit topics and recent developments concerning NATO. Notably, Pavel is the first Czech politician to be invited to this event, reflecting his past roles as the chief of Czech armed forces and the NATO Military Committee Chairman.

Currently consisting of 31 members, NATO welcomed Finland as its latest addition this spring. Sweden has expressed its desire to join the alliance, and its membership has received approval from almost all member states. Turkish President Erdogan recently agreed to initiate the approval process in the Turkish Parliament, but Hungary’s approval is still pending.

A key focus of the summit is the reaffirmation of support for Ukraine and discussions on its potential future membership. The NATO member states aim to find a compromise regarding Ukraine’s aspirations while addressing the reinforcement of the alliance’s eastern flank and defense spending concerns.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will join the summit, following recent engagements with several NATO country leaders. Zelenskiy’s discussions with President Pavel and other Czech politicians in Prague last week highlighted his hope for the summit to provide security guarantees for Ukraine and an immediate invitation to NATO once the war ends.

Although NATO pledged membership to Ukraine in 2008, no specific rules for the accession process were established due to a lack of consensus. The potential changes that may arise from this summit remain uncertain. While some member states, particularly Poland and the Baltic countries, advocate for a clear perspective and support for Ukraine, Czech representatives seek to clarify the conditions under which Ukraine could progress towards NATO membership. The discussions at the Vilnius summit will shape the future direction of NATO’s relationship with Ukraine and its potential integration into the alliance.

Article by Prague Forum