I am sorry to say that the Vilnius conclusions are no firmer or more convincing than Nato’s Bucharest conclusions of 2008, Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated.

“I am sorry to say that the Vilnius conclusions are no firmer or more convincing than Nato’s Bucharest conclusions of 2008, which say — in paragraph 23, to be exact — ‘we agreed that these countries (Ukraine and Georgia) will become members of Nato’.

All the Ukrainians got this week was an ‘invitation’ to join Nato, ‘when allies are agreed and when conditions are met’. No wonder President Zelensky found it hard, at first, to conceal his frustration.” Boris Johnson said.

He continued: “It was up to Nato leaders, this week, to show their collective respect and gratitude for Ukraine’s heroic resistance in a struggle in which not a single Nato soldier has been hurt or killed, because we in Nato countries know — and constantly say — that the Ukrainians are fighting for all of us.

Their battle is for freedom and democracy everywhere: for eastern Europe, for the Baltic states, for all peoples around the world that could be bullied or invaded by an overmighty neighbour. That is why this week we owed the Ukrainians clarity about their future.

It was up to the Nato leaders to demonstrate beyond doubt their belief in the fundamental principle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation — the most successful military alliance in history.”