Vilnius summit: Northern and Central Europe in favour of Ukraine's NATO membership

The final document signed by representatives of Poland, Lithuania and Romania confirmed the common position that Ukraine should become a full member of the North Atlantic Alliance, DW reported.

Among the participants of the summit were the Baltic, Northern and Central European countries, which are united in their desire not only to bring Ukraine closer to NATO membership, but also to increase pressure on Russia for its continued aggression.

According to the participants, Russia has not shown a sincere desire for peace, so European countries will continue to support the introduction of new EU sanctions and strengthen measures to contain Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally attended the meeting and expressed gratitude to the allies for their support. He stressed that his country is already in its fourth year of heavy defence against the Russian invasion, and it is the help of partners that plays a key role in this confrontation.

Zelenskyy noted the particular importance of increasing arms production and stressed that Ukraine is now able to cover up to 40 per cent of its arms needs on its own. However, he stressed the need for stable external funding to support Ukrainian defence. The President separately noted the effectiveness of investments in the development and use of modern drones, which play a significant role in the Ukrainian army's successes at the front.

The main goal of the meeting in Vilnius was also to prepare and harmonise the positions of the countries of the region before the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague in June. The summit will make important decisions on the Alliance's further steps towards Ukraine and strategy to counter Russian aggression in Europe.