Lithuania's Foreign Minister urges NATO to invite Zelenskyy to The Hague summit
Lithuania's Foreign Affairs Minister Kęstutis Budrys (Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be invited to the NATO summit in The Hague this June, where he must hear a clear commitment from the Alliance to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys during an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Türkiye, LRT reports.
"In The Hague, we must agree on 40 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine because its forces are the first line of defense. We must support them because it is an investment in the security of all Europe," Budrys said.
He also noted that he expects the summit to reaffirm what was agreed at previous meetings — that Ukraine is on an "irreversible path" toward NATO membership.
"NATO membership is the best option to secure not only Ukraine but also Europe," the Lithuanian minister emphasized.
NATO summit in The Hague
The next NATO summit is scheduled to take place in The Hague (Netherlands) on June 24-25, 2025.
Earlier, media reports suggested that the United States was allegedly opposed to inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the summit.
As of now, the Indo-Pacific Four (Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand) have received invitations. Ukraine is not on the list at this time.
Media also reported that the summit's agenda is expected to be "very concise" in order to avoid tension with US President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp emphasized that the decision to invite Zelenskyy will be made not by the United States, but by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
However, just yesterday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States had not opposed inviting Zelenskyy to the June NATO summit in The Hague.
