US and Germany Resist Calls to Take Firm Decision on Ukraine's NATO Membership

Ukraine's hopes for a firmer announcement on the timeframe for its accession to NATO are likely to be disappointed, according to European Pravda, quoting the German Press Agency (DPA) on Tuesday, May 2.

The US and Germany have reportedly indicated privately that they are not yet ready to commit to any obligations beyond the 2008 NATO declaration which, while promising future membership of the alliance for Ukraine and Georgia, does not lay out a specific timeline for gaining membership.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently urged NATO to grant Ukraine membership hoping that there would be progress at the next summit in July, citing the country's contribution to Euro-Atlantic security as reason enough.

The head of state stressed that hardly any other nation is making a greater contribution to Euro-Atlantic security than the Ukrainian military. In his opinion, Ukraine has done everything to ensure that Kyiv's application should be granted.

Central and Eastern European countries, especially Lithuania, have backed Zelenskyy's appeal for Ukraine to join NATO. However, diplomats suggest that it is unlikely that the United States and other NATO partners will change their stance.

Opponents argue that setting a specific vision for Ukraine’s accession is not currently feasible and would only serve to divert members’ attention from providing the crucial support Ukraine needs and could provide Russia with further justification for aggressive action.

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Diplomats note that efforts are underway to provide a support package for Ukraine's NATO accession and talks are ongoing to establish a closer and stronger relationship through the NATO-Ukraine Council.

According to information from NATO circles, real progress in negotiations on Ukraine's accession prospects only possible following Ukraine's success in its war with Russia. Then NATO countries will not have to fear becoming direct participants in the war if and when they accept Ukraine.

During a meeting of the International Contact Group for the Coordination of Military Assistance to Ukraine, Stoltenberg hinted that, in accordance with the alliance’s rules, Ukraine could not join NATO during the ongoing war. He emphasized that membership in the alliance is contingent upon Ukraine remaining a sovereign independent state. Stoltenberg remarked that there is no point in discussing membership while Ukraine’s independence remained under threat.

It should be noted that the NATO Secretary-General visited Ukraine, at the end of April, for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale invasion by Russia. He held talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv and also visited Bucha, which had been under Russian occupation.

Stoltenberg claimed that at the July summit in Vilnius, the member countries of the Alliance were preparing to discuss the issue of Ukraine's membership and further security guarantees towards it. However, the main issue still remained to be ensuring Ukraine's victory in the war.