No easy path for Ukraine to join NATO, says Joe Biden
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President Joe Biden stated on Saturday that the United States will not offer special arrangements for Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance even after considering the ongoing invasion by Russia.
Speaking near Washington, he emphasised that Ukraine would need to meet the same standards as other NATO members, making it clear that the process would not be made easy.
However, he addressed Russia's aggression and asserted the US' stance against the war. He condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims that nuclear arms had been deployed within Belarus, a close ally and neighbour of Russia.
His remarks come ahead of an upcoming NATO summit in Lithuania next month. As a symbolic gesture, alliance leaders are planning to convene the first session of a NATO-Ukraine Council in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, allowing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to participate in discussions on security matters.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking in Brussels, highlighted that while political ties with Ukraine would be strengthened during the summit, there would be no discussions about extending a formal membership invitation to Kyiv. Stoltenberg explained that the focus would be on finding ways to bring Ukraine closer to NATO rather than on immediate membership consideration. He expressed confidence in reaching a consensus and finding a satisfactory solution.
While NATO member states in eastern Europe have been pushing for a clearer roadmap for Ukraine's membership, key allies such as the United States and Germany have been more cautious. Their interest thus far seems to be limited to a 2014 commitment that Ukraine will eventually join the alliance. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that some membership requirements could be relaxed if Ukraine demonstrated readiness to join.
Concerns within NATO persist that granting membership to Ukraine could escalate tensions and increase the likelihood of a direct military confrontation with Russia. Finland recently became the 31st member of NATO, while Sweden's application has been stalled by Turkey over accusations of providing shelter to Kurdish militants it considers terrorists.