Belgium’s Prime Minister Criticizes NATO Summit Handling of Ukraine
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) expressed disappointment over the exclusion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from the recent NATO summit, emphasizing the need for the EU to provide the support he deemed insufficient at the event. De Wever made these remarks upon his arrival at the European Council meeting in Brussels., reports 24brussels.
Zelensky was notably not invited as a guest of honor at the summit in The Hague. However, he attended a dinner with various heads of state and government, including the Dutch royal family, on Tuesday evening and had a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
Painful Exclusion
While NATO leaders reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine in a concluding statement, De Wever described the situation as “very painful,” lamenting that “a country at war, an innocent victim of aggression fighting for our freedom, is being sidelined by the Western world simply because the US no longer wishes to support it in the same way.”
He further stated, “Hopefully, we can make up for that to some extent here by making it clear that at least 26 EU member states still stand firmly behind Ukraine.” De Wever emphasized the necessity for the EU to ensure ongoing US engagement, asserting that “their capabilities simply cannot be replaced.”
Separate Declaration on Ukraine
Prior to the summit, 26 EU member states formulated a separate declaration regarding Ukraine, highlighting Hungary’s contentious position about the war for the third time. Despite Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s absence from the collaborative effort, De Wever believes that a compelling message can still be conveyed without Hungary’s involvement. “He is openly anti-Ukrainian, but ultimately, he is not preventing Europe from moving forward. It’s a very ambiguous situation that can perhaps be managed on an ad hoc basis, but structurally it raises questions,” he stated.
De Wever remains optimistic that Hungary may agree to prolong sanctions against Russia and that an agreement can be reached regarding the EU’s 18th sanctions package.
Upon his arrival at the summit, Orbán reiterated his stance against Ukraine’s accession to the EU, stating, “That would mean integrating the war into the EU, which poses an imminent threat to us.” When queried about the possibility of a ceasefire, Orbán responded, “There isn’t one.”
