Enlargement of NATO

The annual NATO public opinion survey among member states regarding various aspects of membership in the alliance has shown Slovenia persistently ranking among the countries whose people express the most scepticism towards NATO membership and its policies.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, who is in Vilnius for the NATO meeting, said the Alliance would give Ukraine a clear prospect of membership when the relevant conditions are met. Asked about the Bulgarian position on this matter, the Prime Minister said:

Sweden's accession to NATO as the 32nd member of the Alliance is very good news, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis underlined in a post on Twitter on Tuesday.

"Great news that Sweden will be joining us soon as the 32nd member of our Alliance. This makes us all safer and stronger. Looking forward to the process being completed!", he noted.

Osmani stated on Twitter that the so-called Kosovo, Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina are next in line for NATO membership.
''Excellent news! Next up: Kosovo, Ukraine and Bosnia & Hercegovina in NATO, for a stronger Alliance & a safer and more secure Europe!''

Polish President Andrzej Duda said that it is in the interest of his country for Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible, but that it must wait until the end of the conflict.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan has agreed to submit the protocol for Sweden's accession to NATO to the parliament in Ankara for ratification as soon as possible.

This was announced in Vilnius by the Secretary General of the Pact, Jens Stoltenberg, after a meeting with Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Türkiye agreed on July 10 to allow Sweden to join NATO, setting the stage for the allies to showcase their unity at a summit focused on supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, on the eve of a NATO summit in Vilnius.

This removed one of the obstacles for Ukraine joining NATO.

The Lithuanian capital has been turned into a real fortress because of the two-day meeting between leaders of the NATO countries starting on Tuesday. Vilnius is located just 30 kilometers from Lithuania's border with Belarus and less than 200 kilometers from Russia.