On July 9, the NATO Summit dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Alliance took place in Washington. This year, the main topics were the Alliance’s defence against Russian aggression in Ukraine, nuclear deterrence, the possibility of Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and new military aid packages.

The International Centre for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV) was actively engaged during this trip. Our representatives – Hanna Hopko, Daria Kaleniuk and Iryna Krasnoshtan, together with partners Alyona Getmanchuk and Leo Litra from the New Europe Center, worked closely with international partners, met with political leaders, focusing on supporting Ukraine and strengthening its position on the global security level.

Our Programme Director Iryna Krasnoshtan had the honour to meet with representatives of the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) in Washington during the NATO Summit. She shared her experience and discussed Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, emphasising the need to make every effort to secure Ukraine’s invitation to NATO in the near future. Iryna also met with the 20th United States Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun. They discussed cooperation with the United States, further support for Ukraine and prospects for our future.

Thanks to the support of the Transatlantic Democracy Working Group and The German Marshall Fund of the United States, we organised the closed-door round table discussion “Potential summit outcomes that would insulate NATO from US political volatility and set Ukraine on a clear path toward victory and membership”. Hanna Hopko and Alyona Getmanchuk had the opportunity to talk to Elbridge Colby, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development.

At this event, we stressed the need to allow Ukraine to strike military facilities on the territory of Russia and emphasised that negotiations with terrorists are impossible. In addition, we stressed the importance of creating an air defence shield over Ukraine’s western and southern regions, which should be protected by the air defence systems of our allies. We also focused on the need to invite Ukraine to join NATO and become the 33rd member of the Alliance.

However, this summit was not a historic one for Ukraine, as we did not receive an invitation to join NATO. A number of practical decisions were made during the event, including financial support for Ukraine of €40 billion in 2025 and military support. But the decision to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance remained unresolved. Hanna Hopko stressed that Ukraine needs a clear perspective of joining NATO.

It’s clear that Russia’s goal is the obliteration of the whole Ukrainian nation. From confiscation of Russian Assets, we should move to the full economic isolation of the Russian Federation. Ukraine as a NATO member will make the alliance stronger.

Hanna Hopko, co-founder of the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory

During the summit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the delivery of American F-16 Fighting Falcon from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine. In addition, several countries decided to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence system by providing Patriot, components, SAMP/T and other tactical systems. But the decision to lift the ban on the use of Western weapons to strike at Russian territory remains unresolved, which is crucial for Ukraine’s victory.

NATO Allies stressed that Ukraine’s future lies in its accession to the Alliance and promised to support the country on its “irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership”. At the same time, the Alliance confirmed that Russia remains the biggest threat to NATO’s security and assured of its intention to continue supporting Ukraine until the country defeats the aggressor.