NATO leaders convened in Washington, D.C., for the NATO-Ukraine Council Session, part of the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held a joint press conference after their bilateral meeting.
Stoltenberg announced a significant package for Ukraine, including security assistance, training, financial commitments, urgent military support, bilateral security agreements, and interoperability with NATO. He emphasized, “Ukraine’s future lies in NATO. We will support you on the irreversible path to NATO membership.”
President Zelenskiy expressed gratitude for the air defense systems, including five Patriots, promised to Ukraine. He highlighted new bilateral security agreements, including one with Romania, and called for further strong decisions on air defense systems and F-16s.
Erdogan’s Call for Palestinian Peace
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the summit, emphasizing that lasting peace cannot be achieved without granting Palestinians an independent state. He condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, noting nearly 40,000 deaths since October 7, and criticized Israel’s defiance of UN Security Council decisions.
Erdoğan stated, “Global peace and stability are unattainable without a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue. It is unacceptable to continue military support to Israel amidst the global outcry against the attacks on Palestinian civilians. Türkiye will not approve NATO cooperation with Israel until comprehensive peace is established in Palestinian territories.”