Czech President: Ukrainians need clear perspective of NATO membership

He said this before the meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Alliance, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"It is incredibly important for the Armed Forces and Ukrainian citizens to maintain high morale. To do this, they need a perspective. The prospect of NATO membership will mean that the process will be defined as irreversible," the head of state said.

Pavel called powerful the statements made by US President Joe Biden the day before, in which he heard about the "irreversibility of Ukraine's path to NATO membership" and that the allies would not allow Ukraine to fall.

The most urgent task now is to provide Ukraine with additional air defence systems, the former NATO general said. He mentioned the initiative of 5 countries announced by US President Joe Biden, which pledged to provide such systems as soon as possible.

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Pavel also stressed the consensus of all allies that Russia is clearly identified as the greatest security threat to NATO, and that Ukraine will be supported as long as it takes.

As reported, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Romania have announced the provision of additional air defence systems to Ukraine. These include Patriot batteries, components, SAMP/T, and dozens of tactical air defence systems in the future.