Ukraine’s accession to NATO will not happen in the near future. This was announced on Saturday, February 19, by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his speech at the Munich Security Conference.
“The problem is that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is not on the agenda, will not happen in the foreseeable future,” Scholz said.
On February 11, the representative of the EU Foreign Service Peter Stano also noted that the issue of Ukraine’s accession to NATO is not on the agenda. But, according to him, the EU recognizes the desire of Ukraine to become a member of the union.
On February 9, former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said that Ukraine has no right to join NATO without the consent of all member countries of the bloc. According to the diplomat, the Ukrainian side needs to earn the right to membership in the North Atlantic Alliance, as well as coordinate this with all members of the organization.
On January 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded specifics from the West on Ukraine’s entry into NATO. The head of state urged them to “openly say” whether Ukraine will join the alliance or not.
On January 26, U.S. First Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said that Ukraine had not yet reached the point of handing over to the country an action plan for NATO membership.
In August, European Commission Vice President and European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis said that Ukraine’s membership in the European Union in the coming years is hardly possible. According to him, the country’s accession to the European Union is primarily a political issue. He, as stressed by the European Commissioner, must be unanimously supported by all EU member states.
In June 2021, a structural unit for the country’s integration into the European Union and NATO was created in the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It is indicated that one of the priorities will be to coordinate cooperation with the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the state and the Verkhovna Rada.
NATO made a political statement at its Bucharest summit in April 2008 that Ukraine and Georgia could eventually become members of the alliance, but refused to provide both countries with an action plan to prepare for membership, the first step in the country’s legal process of joining the organization. In February 2019, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved amendments to the constitution, fixing the country’s aspirations to join NATO. Ukraine also received the status of an organization’s partner with enhanced opportunities. Kiev signed an association agreement with the EU in 2014. The document came into full force in 2016.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
