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According to information from the German press agency, alliance members such as the US and Germany recently made it clear behind closed doors that they do not want to make any commitments for the time being that go substantially beyond a vague NATO statement from 2008. In it, the then heads of state and government agreed that Ukraine and Georgia had to join NATO. However, there was no concrete timetable or timetable for this.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently called on NATO to pave the way for his country’s entry into the Western military alliance at the next summit in July. Neither in Ukraine, nor in Europe, nor in NATO would the majority of the population understand if Kiev did not receive a “well-deserved invitation” to the summit in Lithuania, Selenski said after a visit to Kiev by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg . . In justification, he explained that hardly anyone currently contributes more to Euro-Atlantic security than the Ukrainian soldiers. His country has therefore done everything possible to honor the request from Kiev.
threats from Russia
In particular, Central and Eastern European countries such as Lithuania support Selenski’s demands. However, it is currently extremely unlikely that they will be able to convince NATO partners such as the US to change course. According to diplomats, opponents of a concrete accession perspective explain their position by saying that this goal is currently unrealistic and could distract from much more important support for Ukraine. Moreover, there is a risk that new NATO commitments could give Russia arguments for even more aggressive warfare.
Blick provides live information about current developments in Ukraine.
Blick provides live information about current developments in Ukraine.
During Stoltenberg’s visit to Kiev two weeks ago, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated his statements that Russia sees possible NATO membership as a threat. Accession would therefore be “a serious, considerable danger to our country, to its security”.
Support package for Ukraine
According to diplomats, a support package already announced by Stoltenberg is currently being worked on to accommodate Ukraine at the NATO summit in Lithuania. There is also talk of offering Ukraine the opportunity to hold talks about even closer cooperation in the form of a NATO-Ukraine Council. A senior diplomat recently said this could strengthen the “sense of partnership” between NATO and Ukraine and make a real difference.
Until now, NATO has only met with representatives of Ukraine in the form of so-called committee meetings. In the past, they were mainly about reform demands.
According to information from NATO circles, talks about Ukraine’s accession prospects will probably only really move if Ukraine succeeds in the war against Russia. Then the NATO states need not be afraid to become a direct party to the war by admitting Ukraine.
Secretary-General Stoltenberg recently indirectly ruled out Ukraine’s accession in times of war. He pointed out that NATO membership requires Ukraine to survive the war as an independent nation. “If Ukraine does not assert itself as a sovereign independent nation in Europe, then there is no point in talking about membership,” he said recently on the sidelines of a meeting of the international contact group for the coordination of military aid to Ukraine.
Arms deliveries from the United States
At the request of the German news agency, the administration of US President Joe Biden declined to comment on internal talks ahead of the summit in Lithuania. However, she indirectly confirmed that she considers further arms deliveries and other aid to Ukraine more important in the current situation than plans to join NATO.
“We are focusing on getting more practical support into the hands of the Ukrainians as soon as possible,” a senior government official told dpa. It also examines what can be done in the longer term to make Ukraine better able to counter and deter aggression.
As for accession prospects, she only made it clear that the US does not question the 2008 NATO statement. “It is not a question of whether Ukraine will join the alliance, but when,” she said.
(SDA)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
