Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday demanded his nation receive an official invitation to join NATO after the war is over ahead of a key alliance meet slated to be held in Lithuania.
While speaking alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Zelensky told the press, “We need a very clear and understandable signal at the Vilnius summit that Ukraine can become an equal member of NATO after the war.” “This invitation to the alliance is the first, very practical step, it would be very important for us,” he added.
If Ukraine were to join NATO, it would benefit from Article 5, which guarantees collective defence, meaning that member states must assist in the event of an attack.
NATO asked to clarify its stance
In light of these developments, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also urged NATO to clarify its stance on Ukraine’s membership bid.
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Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Thursday, “Ukraine continues to work actively with all NATO allies to convince them that the time for clarity on Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance has come.” His remarks came shortly after he spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg over the phone.
Key NATO summit to be held next month
The upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, scheduled for July 11-12, will be a significant event where Ukraine’s membership is expected to be a key topic of discussion. President Zelensky has assured Western counterparts that Ukraine’s full membership would strengthen NATO rather than weaken it. However, he acknowledged that Ukraine’s entry into NATO would only occur once the conflict with Russia has been resolved.
NATO ‘split’ on Ukraine’s membership
There are differing views within NATO regarding Ukraine’s membership. During a press conference in Brussels, Secretary General Stoltenberg acknowledged the division among member countries on this issue, highlighting that decisions within NATO are made through consensus. “On that issue, there are different views in the alliance and of course, the only way to make decisions in Nato is by consensus,” Stoltenberg was quoted as saying by Indiatimes.
Some NATO diplomats have expressed concerns about the United States’ hesitancy to extend its commitment to Ukraine beyond the initial membership pledge made 15 years ago.
