Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has said that Ukraine should become a member of NATO and the time has come to provide a "clear plan" how this will be achieved.

"One of the main topics of the summit is Ukraine. We all understand that only its victory will bring security and stability back to Europe. The Allies must agree on further military assistance to Ukraine until its territory is completely liberated. We also understand that Ukraine should be fully integrated into the transatlantic security system and become a member of NATO. The time has passed for repeating promises. The time has come for a clear plan on how we will achieve this. We have no choice but to agree and send a strong signal to Ukraine," Nauseda said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Vilnius.

The Lithuanian President said that Vilnius should "become a place where good news comes to Ukrainians."

He stressed that Lithuania had stated from the very beginning that the summit should be characterized not by discussions, but by important decisions for the entire Alliance.

"Our unity and determination should be reflected not only in the declarations, but also in the decisions that we will take here in Vilnius in the coming days," Nauseda said.

He also noted that the situation in Europe “leaves no room for inaction.”

"We must move forward decisively and quickly," Nauseda said.

The Lithuanian President added that the situation in the region is becoming more complicated due to new factors that must be taken into account, such as the potential arrival of Wagner PMC mercenaries in Belarus and the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons there.

He also noted that the security of the eastern flank of NATO should be a priority of the Alliance. "And we must implement the decisions taken in Madrid and approve new defense plans here in Vilnius," the Lithuanian president said.

He also confirmed the rejection of the MAP stage for Ukraine.

The NATO Summit will be held in Vilnius on July 11-12.