Chief of NATO Suggests Possible Ukraine Membership
(TheRedWire.com) – Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24. For months, he warned that Russia might act to prevent the former Soviet country from joining NATO and encroaching upon its borders. It appears his efforts might have backfired. On Tuesday, November 29, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the door was open to Ukraine joining the European military alliance as a member state.
Stoltenberg once again said he remained committed to Ukraine’s eventual membership in NATO. In September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared his intent to apply for membership in the military alliance. He hoped the coalition would fast-track the application as Russia pounded away at the war-torn country’s infrastructure and illegally annexed the eastern portions of the country.
NEW: NATO chief says "door is open" to Ukraine https://t.co/fLQideEzdz pic.twitter.com/i7bxIDyY3s
— The Hill (@thehill) November 29, 2022
Still, the secretary-general noted in October that all 30 members of NATO would fully need to agree and approve Ukraine’s membership. He said despite Zelensky’s intentions, NATO was unlikely to admit the country while it was still at war. Stoltenberg emphasized that the priority for NATO was giving aid to help Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
The alliance could soon announce more aid for Ukraine. The non-lethal support could include medical supplies and generators. Recently, Finland and Sweden applied for fast-track membership. They are waiting on approval from two countries. Stoltenberg added the alliance must not allow Putin to win. He stressed everyone was paying the price for Russia’s action, but none as steeply as Ukraine.
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