Ukraine will not be able to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This was defined by the member countries after analyzing the situation and concluding that to allow its entry would be to enter directly into a war with Russia. While recognizing the need to act faster to manage access, they could not define an estimated time frame, triggering Volodomir Zelensky’s anger.
The delay in the European country’s admission to NATO has to do exclusively with its conflict with Russia since, according to Article 5 of the alliance, “an attack against an Ally is considered an attack against all Allies.” Although the message has not yet been published, a draft reached the hands of the Ukrainian president.
Zelensky, who will meet with Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday, took to Twitter to criticize the delay. “We value our allies,” he began. “But Ukraine also deserves respect. It is absurd and unprecedented when (a) deadline is set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine’s membership. While at the same time adding vague wording about ‘conditions’ even for inviting Ukraine,” he added.
As reported by POLITICO, Joe Biden is closer to Stoltenberg’s position than that of his Ukrainian counterpart; something made official by John Kirby in a conversation with CNN. The White House Homeland Security spokesman stated, “Of course, they are at war right now. So, NATO membership in the immediate future isn’t likely because that would put NATO at war with Russia.”
Although the Biden Administration says that they “believe that NATO is in Ukraine’s future,” Biden has made it clear that several reforms are still needed for the country to be accepted, as well as a more favorable context. “Now there’s some reforms — good governance, rule of law, political reforms — that Ukraine needs to work on, and we understand it’s hard to work on some of those reforms when you are at war,” he added.
The alliance leaders are currently meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, where talks are expected to continue in the coming days. Finland already joined NATO in April and Sweden is finalizing details to become the next addition.
