NATO's Major Players Oppose Ukrainian Membership – Le Monde
An unnamed diplomat has remarked that the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO is causing considerable unease among many allies. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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Germany, Hungary, and the US are reportedly among the countries objecting to Ukraine joining the military bloc.
Vladimir Zelensky’s initiative for Ukraine to become part of NATO has been facing pushback from key members of the military alliance, including Germany and the US, as reported by Le Monde on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Zelensky reiterated his request ahead of an upcoming NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. During a meeting in Kiev with new EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and the new president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, he emphasized that receiving an invitation was a “necessary thing for the country’s survival.”
Nonetheless, a diplomat referenced by the French daily stated that the issue is not currently under discussion in Brussels. The source indicated that there are objections from Germany, Hungary, and the US, adding that Ukrainian NATO membership “is an option that makes many allies very uneasy.” In contrast, countries like France and the UK have shown support for Ukraine's aspirations to join.
The report highlighted that outgoing US President Joe Biden has declined to approve an invitation for Ukraine. US President-elect Donald Trump, who has consistently opposed such a move, has vowed to resolve the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of returning to the White House.
Trump’s newly appointed special envoy to Russia and Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellogg, suggested in a report earlier this year that to encourage Moscow to engage in peace talks, Biden and other NATO leaders “should offer to put off NATO membership for Ukraine for an extended period in exchange for a comprehensive and verifiable peace deal with security guarantees.”
Ukraine submitted its application to join NATO in September 2022. While certain member states have expressed support, the alliance has consistently warned that Ukraine cannot gain membership until the ongoing conflict with Russia is settled.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long cited NATO’s expansion eastward as one of the reasons for the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has repeatedly insisted that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations, commit to a neutral status, and relinquish claims to the five former Ukrainian regions that opted to join Russia before any peace talks.
In the past, Zelensky has maintained that only the “complete withdrawal” of Russian forces from those territories and the restoration of the country’s 1991 borders could serve as a prerequisite for peace negotiations.
On Monday, he conveyed to Kyodo News that Kyiv would be open to a ceasefire with Moscow if NATO accession is guaranteed and asserted that this would put the country in “a strong position” in the event of future conflict with Moscow.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
Vladimir Zelensky’s initiative for Ukraine to become part of NATO has been facing pushback from key members of the military alliance, including Germany and the US, as reported by Le Monde on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Zelensky reiterated his request ahead of an upcoming NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. During a meeting in Kiev with new EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and the new president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, he emphasized that receiving an invitation was a “necessary thing for the country’s survival.”
Nonetheless, a diplomat referenced by the French daily stated that the issue is not currently under discussion in Brussels. The source indicated that there are objections from Germany, Hungary, and the US, adding that Ukrainian NATO membership “is an option that makes many allies very uneasy.” In contrast, countries like France and the UK have shown support for Ukraine's aspirations to join.
The report highlighted that outgoing US President Joe Biden has declined to approve an invitation for Ukraine. US President-elect Donald Trump, who has consistently opposed such a move, has vowed to resolve the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of returning to the White House.
Trump’s newly appointed special envoy to Russia and Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellogg, suggested in a report earlier this year that to encourage Moscow to engage in peace talks, Biden and other NATO leaders “should offer to put off NATO membership for Ukraine for an extended period in exchange for a comprehensive and verifiable peace deal with security guarantees.”
Ukraine submitted its application to join NATO in September 2022. While certain member states have expressed support, the alliance has consistently warned that Ukraine cannot gain membership until the ongoing conflict with Russia is settled.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long cited NATO’s expansion eastward as one of the reasons for the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has repeatedly insisted that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations, commit to a neutral status, and relinquish claims to the five former Ukrainian regions that opted to join Russia before any peace talks.
In the past, Zelensky has maintained that only the “complete withdrawal” of Russian forces from those territories and the restoration of the country’s 1991 borders could serve as a prerequisite for peace negotiations.
On Monday, he conveyed to Kyodo News that Kyiv would be open to a ceasefire with Moscow if NATO accession is guaranteed and asserted that this would put the country in “a strong position” in the event of future conflict with Moscow.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
