Invitation of Ukraine to join NATO in Vilnius would signal strong message to Russia - European Parliamentarian.

Vice-President of the European People's Party group in the European Parliament Rasa Juknevičienė has called for paving the way for Ukraine's invitation to join NATO and its full membership at the summits in Vilnius and Washington.

She said this at a briefing at the Ukraine-Union Media Centre, according to Ukrinform.

According to Juknevičienė, it is important to agree on the invitation of Ukraine, as it will send a powerful signal to Russia.

The European politician said that the victory on the battlefield, the liberation of the territory to the 1991 borders and the invitation of Ukraine to NATO would send a clear signal to the Kremlin that they should forget imperialist aspirations, their imperialist approach, and that this is the end of Russia's imperialist history.

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In his turn, Sergiy Solodkyy, First Deputy Director of the New Europe Center, noted that he does not see any valid arguments against inviting Ukraine to join NATO at the Vilnius Summit.

"There are hesitations among citizens of some countries: whether to grant membership during the war or wait until the war is over, but citizens, in principle, support the invitation already during the Vilnius Summit.... I would encourage the leaders of these countries who are hesitating: do not be afraid of your citizens, do not use the arguments that were used in the past - they are no longer valid and do not work," Solodkyy said.

Read also: Bucharest Nine: NATO must take real steps towards Ukraine's membership

As reported earlier, the NATO summit will take place in Vilnius on 11-12 July.