NATO to Bolster Ukraine’s Membership Path in The Hague Summit Declaration
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has confirmed that the Alliance’s summit in The Hague will include a decisive political signal supporting Ukraine’s future membership.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to European Pravda.
The final communiqué, to be adopted by Allied leaders this week, is expected to articulate tangible steps in what Rutte described as the ongoing “construction of the bridge” between Kyiv and NATO.
Speaking at the start of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Rutte underscored that the Alliance remains committed to all previous decisions in support of Ukraine, most notably the 2024 Washington Summit declaration, which affirmed the “irreversibility” of Ukraine’s NATO trajectory.
“This year’s declaration will include a significant reference to Ukraine, rooted in the Washington Summit’s conclusions,” said Rutte. “It sends a clear message: Ukraine’s path to NATO remains open and irreversible.”
While Rutte refrained from specifying the exact wording, multiple sources expect the communiqué to include provisions tying increased Allied defense spending, projected to reach 5% of GDP by 2035, to long-term security assistance for Ukraine.
According to officials, this will include stable funding mechanisms for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, underwritten by NATO member states.
Preempting speculation that Ukraine might be marginalized at the summit, Rutte reaffirmed that the final declaration will include binding language on continued defense assistance. “There will be no ambiguity, the Allies are united in their commitment,” he stated.
He also revealed that NATO’s military assistance to Ukraine in 2025 has already surpassed €35 billion, exceeding the previous year’s levels and signaling the Alliance’s deepening engagement.
Rutte concluded by reiterating that NATO considers Russia its primary security threat – a stance that will shape both the summit’s outcomes and the Alliance’s future strategic posture.
Read more on The Gaze: NATO Summit 2025: Will the Alliance Stand with Ukraine?