NATO leaders will meet in Vilnius on 11-12 July to discuss a wide range of topics, from divisions over Ukraine’s membership bid to Sweden’s accession to boosting ammunitions stockpiles and reviewing the first defense plans in decades.
It will be the fourth NATO summit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the first held virtually on 25 February 2022, just one day after the assault, followed by meetings in Brussels and Madrid.
Previewing the Vilnius Summit, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the meeting of Allied leaders “will send a clear message: NATO stands united, and Russia’s aggression will not pay.”
These are expected to be the main points highlighted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who will also be traveling to the Lithuanian capital, to reiterate the country’s engagement towards NATO, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as the need for peace in the Western Balkans region.
“We are looking forward to the crucial Vilnius NATO summit. In Vilnius, we will reconfirm Albania’s unwavering dedication to NATO, the security of our eastern flank allies, the just fight of the Ukrainian people, and the very need for stability and focus in the Western Balkans,” wrote Rama on his Twitter account.
As NATO allies have reached agreement to raise the alliance’s target for military spending to at least 2% of national GDP, the Albanian premier also declared he has tasked the Ministry of Defense to reach this target.
“In the last decade, Albania has increased its defense spending from 1.35% to 1.76% of our GDP. However, at times like this, more is needed. Therefore, I have tasked the Ministry of Defense to reach the 2% target by 2024. Although we are not among the rich NATO members, we believe that the 2% target for is the floor, not the ceiling of our commitment,” continued Rama.
Stoltenberg had intended to make NATO’s previous military spending target of 2% of national GDP a minimum requirement rather than a goal to aim for.
Furthermore, in the Vilnius Summit Rama will also announce that “if needed, Albania is ready to commit additional troops to strengthen NATO’s forward presence. Together we are stronger and only together we can prevail in this very defining moment for what we believe in; for the sake of the generations to come.”
We are looking forward to the crucial Vilnius NATO summit. In Vilnius, we will reconfirm Albania's unwavering dedication to NATO, the security of our eastern flank allies, the just fight of the Ukrainian people, and the very need for stability and focus in the Western Balkans.… pic.twitter.com/5oUWzuLUCr
— Edi Rama (@ediramaal) July 8, 2023
The extraordinary flurry of gatherings stands in contrast to the previous rhythm of annual NATO summits and shows how war on its doorstep has forced the alliance to strengthen cooperation.
Security measures in Vilnius will be high, with three German Patriot air defense units deployed to protect the venue, a first for a NATO summit. Additional fighter jets will patrol the skies of Lithuania, which is wedged between the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus and has long been seen as a vulnerable spot on NATO’s eastern flank.
Leaders of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, as well as the European Union, will also take part in the Vilnius Summit. This will be Finland’s first Summit as a NATO ally.
