Vilnius: NATO allies have refused to give Ukraine a timeframe for joining the military alliance, despite calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a “clear path” to membership.
The decision was made at a NATO summit in Lithuania on June 29, 2023. In a communique, NATO said that Ukraine would join the alliance “when allies agree and conditions are met.”
“In their first working session at NATO Summit, Allies took decisions to bring Ukraine closer to NATO, and reinforce the Alliance’s collective deterrence and defense”, tweets NATO.
The decision was met with disappointment by Zelensky, who said that it was “absurd” to not give Ukraine a timeframe for membership. He also said that the decision could leave Ukraine vulnerable to Russian pressure.
There are a number of reasons why NATO allies may have been reluctant to give Ukraine a timeframe for membership. One reason is that they are concerned about provoking Russia. Russia has warned that it would view any NATO expansion into Ukraine as a threat, and it has already invaded Ukraine once in 2014.
Another reason is that NATO allies may not be convinced that Ukraine is ready for membership. Ukraine has a long history of corruption and political instability, and it still has a long way to go in terms of meeting NATO’s standards.
Despite the decision, NATO has reaffirmed its support for Ukraine. The alliance has provided Ukraine with military assistance, and it has also imposed sanctions on Russia.
It is unclear what the future holds for Ukraine’s NATO membership. However, the decision by NATO allies to not give Ukraine a timeframe for membership is a setback for Zelensky and his government.
In addition to the reasons mentioned above, there are a few other factors that may have influenced NATO’s decision. One factor is the ongoing war in Ukraine. The war has made it difficult for Ukraine to meet NATO’s membership requirements, such as having a functioning democracy and a market economy.
Another factor is the opposition of some NATO members to Ukraine’s membership. Turkey, for example, has blocked Ukraine’s membership in the past due to concerns about its relationship with Russia.
It is possible that NATO allies will reconsider their decision to not give Ukraine a timeframe for membership in the future. However, for now, it seems that Ukraine will have to wait to join the alliance.