Nine NATO member countries supported Ukraineʼs membership and advocated an increase in military aid.
A joint statement by nine presidents appeared on the website of the President of Poland.
It was signed by Czech President Milos Zeman, Estonian President Alar Karis, Latvian President Egils Levits, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, North Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and Slovak President Zuzana Čaputova.
The statement said that the leaders of the specified countries expressed firm support for the decision of the Bucharest NATO Summit in 2008 regarding the future membership of Ukraine in the Alliance and condemned the illegal annexation of Ukraineʼs territories by Russia.
"We support Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion, demand from Russia the immediate withdrawal of troops from all occupied territories, and call on all members of the Alliance to significantly increase military aid to Ukraine. Everyone who commits crimes of aggression should be held accountable and brought to justice," the statement said.
- On September 30, after Putin announced the annexation of four regions of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed an application forUkraineʼs accelerated accession to NATO.
- The USA responded that Ukraineʼs accession to NATO is not timely. The Alliance said that the decision will be made by consensus of all 30 members.
- Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Presidentʼs Office, said that Ukraine held a series of consultations with NATO and the UN before submitting the application. Politico wrote that this was a surprise for the US.