NATO says it is "too early" to talk about Ukraine's membership, but the path is "irreversible"

On July 10, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that it was too early to predict when Ukraine would be admitted as a member.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the alliance's summit in Washington, D.C., on July 10. (Source: Getty Images)

According to Anadolu news agency , Secretary General Stoltenberg stated before the start of the first day of the NATO summit in Washington DC: "To invite a new ally, we need consensus, and all allies agree that Ukraine should become a member."

While it's "too early" to say exactly when that will happen, NATO is moving "closer" to membership for Ukraine.

The military alliance is taking actions described as "bridging the gap to Ukraine's NATO membership ," including establishing a 700-person command based in Germany, as well as centers in the East to simplify training and security support for the Eastern European nation.

Long-term financial commitments, the development of interoperability, and the supply of Western fighter jets are examples of how NATO is bringing Ukraine into the alliance and "making membership easier when the time is right."

The Kyiv Independent reported that, in a statement released late in the day, the alliance reaffirmed its continued support for "Ukraine's irreversible path toward full integration, including NATO membership."

The statement read: " We fully support Ukraine's right to choose its own security arrangements and determine its own future, free from outside interference. Ukraine's future lies within NATO."

The Transatlantic Alliance welcomed the "concrete progress" Ukraine has made since the Vilnius Summit in Lithuania in July 2023 on necessary democratic, economic , and security reforms.

Speaking to reporters at the end of the first day of the summit, Stoltenberg clarified the "irreversible" declaration, emphasizing that it was "a strong message from NATO allies showing that we want Ukraine to participate... Words are very important; they create expectations and the agenda."

According to him, both the coalition and Ukraine need to uphold their commitment to any future membership.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nato-noi-con-qua-som-de-de-cap-thoi-diem-ket-nap-ukraine-nhung-day-la-con-duong-khong-the-dao-nguoc-278241.html