NATO summit starts

Thursday, September 4, 2014 - 10:27 (EEST) Section: Latest news

In the United Kingdom, a two-day summit of the North Atlantic Treaty begins, among its main objectives is to strengthen collective security of the allies and assist Ukraine in the state of Russia’s military aggression.
A Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“At the summit, we will meet with President Poroshenko of Ukraine and make clear our support for Ukraine, as it is confronted by Russia’s aggression,” NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on the eve of the high-level meeting.
Top political and military leadership of NATO member states set five priority issues for the summit. In particular, the crisis in Ukraine and relations with Russia; future relations with Afghanistan; responses to new threats; strengthening support for the armed forces; strengthening partnerships.
The Ukrainian delegation at the summit that will take place in Newport (Wales) will be headed by President Petro Poroshenko. The President on Thursday will take part in a meeting of the leaders of the Alliance and partners, involved in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF).
Today in the afternoon, a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission will be held at the highest level of heads of state and government.
Also, as Head of the Ukrainian Mission to NATO Ihor Dolhov said, a significant number of bilateral meetings of Petro Poroshenko with world leaders is planned on the sidelines of the summit. In general, as the organizers inform, the summit will be attended by some 70 heads of state, government, and international organizations.
On the second day of the summit, September 5, NATO allies at the level of heads of state and government and defense ministers will hold the sessions of the North Atlantic Council, which will discuss and decide on strengthening collective security and an adequate response to military aggression of Russia against Ukraine.
In particular, NATO will adopt an action plan to respond, which will include development of rapid reaction forces and creation of military bases on the eastern borders of the Alliance.
As part of the partnership development, it is expected that some countries that are not NATO members receive special status to deepen relations with the Alliance.