Invitation to Join NATO Equals Membership for Ukraine, Stoltenberg Says

An invitation for Ukraine to join NATO would be tantamount to its membership, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday, speaking in a press conference in Brussels following the foreign ministerial meeting's first day, as reported by Ukrinform correspondent.

Stoltenberg, in a show of unity among NATO Allies, underscored unanimous agreement regarding Ukraine’s future membership, emphasizing the intention to continue advancing Ukraine’s journey towards NATO without introducing intermediary steps.

“All Allies agree that Ukraine will become a member. We made important decisions last year, removing the requirement for a Membership Action Plan,” Stoltenberg said.

“It’s crucial to maintain a streamlined process for Ukraine’s accession, where an invitation equals membership, unlike the European Union’s multi-step procedure,” he added.

He outlined the distinction between NATO and the European Union, noting that NATO’s invitation results in swift membership, while the EU’s invitation-to-membership timeline can span years.

“That’s the difference between NATO and the European Union. In the European Union, of course, when you’re invited, it can take years from an invitation to membership. While in NATO, when you’re invited, it’s something that happens soon after,” Stoltenberg said.

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Stoltenberg stressed NATO’s commitment to Ukraine’s membership, highlighting the need for clear assurances that the war will truly end and measures to prevent future Russian aggression.

“Of course, when this war ends, we have to be absolutely sure that this is really the end, that it stops here. Therefore, we need to help Ukraine build its defenses to deter any further Russian aggression. But there will always be a need for security guarantees, and, of course, the ultimate security guarantee will be Article 5 and NATO membership,” Stoltenberg said.