NATO chief says Ukraine’s membership possible only after war
- 27 November, 04:11
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Ukraine’s membership of the military bloc is possible only after the war and is subject to reforms.
Stoltenberg said that Western allies support Kyiv on its path to NATO, adding that however, full membership remains impossible in the midst of the ongoing war with Russia.
However, he emphasized ongoing efforts to “bring Ukraine closer to NATO.” NATO chief stressed that in the upcoming Ukraine-NATO meeting to be held in Washington on Tuesday, the members will agree upon recommendations and reforms for Ukraine’s accession.
Reiterating NATO’s support for Ukraine amidst Russia’s full-fledged invasion launched last year, Stoltenberg reminded that this month Germany and the Netherlands pledged 10bn euros for Ukraine, while Romania added a F16 training centre for Ukrainian pilots. This military aid is aimed at ensuring full interoperability between Ukrainian forces and Nato forces, he said.
Furthermore, Stoltenberg reminded that NATO has shortened Ukraine’s path to NATO membership from a two-step process to one step process by removing the requirement for a membership action plan for Ukraine.
NATO will hold the first two-day foreign minister-level meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on Tuesday. The decision-making body was set up during the NATO meeting in Vilnius in July this year and is aimed at moving Ukraine closer to NATO.
Kyiv’s allies confirmed their commitment that Ukraine will become a member of NATO during the Vilnius summit last year.
