Ukraine won't have 'easy' path to join NATO: Biden

Ukraine won't have 'easy' path to join NATO: Biden
by AFP Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) June 17, 2023

The United States won't make special arrangements for Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance, President Joe Biden said Saturday, despite Russia's invasion.

"They've got to meet the same standards. So we're not going to make it easy," the US president told reporters near Washington.

The comments come before NATO leaders are set to meet in Lithuania next month.

In a symbolic step, alliance leaders are aiming to hold a first session of a NATO-Ukraine Council with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg said Friday in Brussels.

The meeting will give Kyiv a more equal seat at the table "to consult and decide on security issues," Stoltenberg said

But Stoltenberg added that though NATO will tighten political ties with Ukraine at the summit, there will be no talk of membership for Kyiv.

"We're not going to discuss an invitation at the Vilnius Summit, but how we can move Ukraine closer to NATO," Stoltenberg said.

"I'm confident that we will find a good solution and consensus."

NATO nations in eastern Europe have pushed for a better roadmap for Ukraine to obtain membership, but key allies like the United States and Germany have been reluctant to go much beyond a vague 2014 pledge that Kyiv will join one day.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, however, had suggested Friday it was possible some requirements for membership could be eased if Ukraine was eventually ready to join.

NATO countries have already supplied weaponry worth tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine since Moscow launched its all-out invasion last February.

Yet some leaders in NATO worry that expanding membership to Ukraine would increase the chance of the alliance confronting Russia directly in a war.

Finland became NATO's 31st member in April, while Sweden's application to join the alliance has been stalled by Turkey. Ankara accuses Sweden of harboring Kurdish militants that it considers terrorists.

Biden was also asked Saturday about Russian President Vladimir Putin's assertions that Moscow had deployed nuclear arms within close ally and neighbor Belarus.

"I've commented on that many times. It's totally irresponsible," Biden told reporters at a military base near Washington, on his way to speak in Philadelphia.

The president's comments echoed sentiments from Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who a day earlier had called Belarus' choice to accept the weapons "provocative."

NATO to tighten Ukraine ties, but no membership invite at summit
Brussels (AFP) June 16, 2023 - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Friday the alliance will tighten political ties with Ukraine at a summit next month, but there will be no talk of a membership invite for Kyiv.

"We're not going to discuss an invitation at the Vilnius Summit, but how we can move Ukraine closer to NATO," Stoltenberg said.

"I'm confident that we will find a good solution and consensus."

In a symbolic step alliance leaders are aiming to hold a first session of a NATO-Ukraine Council with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Lithuanian capital, Stoltenberg said.

The move represents an upgrade in political ties and will give Kyiv a more equal seat at the table "to consult and decide on security issues", Stoltenberg said.

But it is seen as little compensation for any failure to make headway on Ukraine's push to join the US-led military alliance's protective umbrella.

NATO countries are still wrangling over what to do about Kyiv's calls for a clear sign it will be accepted once Russia's war ends.

NATO nations in eastern Europe have pushed for a better roadmap for Ukraine to obtain membership.

But key allies like the United States and Germany are reluctant to go much beyond a vague pledge in 2014 that Ukraine will join one day.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius suggested Friday it was possible some requirements for membership could be eased if Ukraine was eventually ready to join.

Diplomats say that as an interim measure before it joins, allies are debating giving Ukraine security assurances of guaranteed weapon supplies to help it defend itself.

The United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany are currently taking the lead on those discussions, diplomats said.

NATO countries have already supplied weaponry worth tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine since Moscow launched its all-out invasion last February.

Stoltenberg is also pushing for NATO members to commit to a multi-year package of help to bring Ukraine closer to alliance standards.

The aim has been to provide 500 million euros a year for the programme, but diplomats say so far the allies have not reached that figure.