French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Wednesday, 28 June, the need for the Vilnius NATO summit to give shape to a specific way for Ukraine's membership in the Alliance.

"We will have to define a path to give shape to Ukraine’s prospects to join NATO, which we opened up in 2008 in Bucharest," Euractiv quotes Macron who said this in his address at the Élysée Palace in Paris.

He added that NATO will decide on further support for Ukraine at the summit in Vilnius.

"The decisions we take [in Vilnius] will commit us for years to come – I am thinking first and foremost of support for Ukraine, to which we must make a long-term commitment," Macron emphasised.

He noted that the allies are helping Ukraine "to reform the Ukrainian armed forces, promote interoperability with Alliance forces and provide support in the non-lethal sector".

As European Pravda has previously said, contrary to stereotypes, France, and President Macron personally, now support Ukraine's invitation to NATO.

The summit of NATO leaders will take place on 11-12 July in Vilnius.

According to Le Monde, France has changed its cautious position regarding Ukraine's NATO membership.