NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says allies are finalizing the summit's final declaration on Ukraine, which will clearly spell out a "positive and strong message" on its path to alliance membership.

He said this at the Public Forum in Vilnius on Tuesday, which took place before the start of the allied summit.

"You will see the language in a few hours (declarations). We are now finalizing the communiqué where we will have the (specific) language (in relation to the membership perspective). I have already said something about the elements that I believe will be there, but it is the leaders who will agree the communiqué, and then you can read what exactly is written there. But what I can say is that it will be a positive and strong message about Ukraine and its path towards membership," Stoltenberg said, answering a question about the content of the declaration regarding Ukraine.

The Secretary General said he presented these "elements" he mentioned in May at an informal meeting of foreign ministers in Oslo in a package "how to move forward on the membership issue." "This is a package of three elements: one was to step up the practical support by creating a multi-year program to ensure that the Ukrainian forces become fully interoperable with NATO forces. This is the first element. The second element is to strengthen political ties with the establishing a NATO-Ukraine Council - I expect we would have the inaugural meeting tomorrow. That will be a new organism within which we will meet as equals – Ukraine and NATO allies. The third element in the package was to remove the requirement for the Membership Action Plan because Ukraine has come a long way since we made a decision in 2008 that the next step would be the MAP. Ukraine is now closer to NATO, and I think the time has come to reflect that in NATO decisions," he reiterated the essence of his proposals.

Summing up the above, Stoltenberg said: "All that together, including making it absolutely clear that Ukraine will be a member, removing the MAP and making their forces fully interoperable with NATO forces with the establishing the NATO-Ukraine Council – all that together will send a very strong message. NATO to Ukraine."

Asked if he was concerned that it would be a frozen conflict, the Secretary General again stated that "wars are by their nature unpredictable." "Wars may last longer than we expect. But we need to stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes. That will be a clear message from this summit," Stoltenberg confirmed the position of the allies.

He also said that during the counteroffensive, "Ukrainians are gaining ground, pushing back the Russian occupiers." "But they need assistance, as the Russians positions prepared defences – minefields, dragon's teeth and other fixed defences. This is a challenge, but from our side we will continue to support Ukraine," the Secretary General said.

Answering a question about whether the United States' support will weaken in light of the upcoming presidential elections, Stoltenberg said "we saw a huge will of all allies, including North America, to support Ukraine." "And if we look at the opinion polls, that support remains very high. Of course, it differs from country to country, but the main message is strong of both parties in the United States, but also across Europe and Canada – to stand by Ukraine. I am convinced that support for Ukraine is strong because people feel solidarity with Ukraine. It will be a challenge for Ukraine if President Putin wins, but I also think that people realize the very simple fact that if President Putin wins in Ukraine, it will not only be bad for Ukrainians, but it will be dangerous for us, because the message will be for of all authoritarian leaders that if they use military force, violate international law and invade other countries, they get what they want and that will make the world more dangerous and we will be more vulnerable. It is in our security interests to support Ukraine, and this is why I welcome the strong support from NATO allies," Stoltenberg justified his opinion.