Ukraine seeks to receive an invitation to join NATO before the end of Joe Biden’s term as president. Such a decision would be an important political signal. This was stated by the Ambassador of Ukraine to NATO Nataliya Halibarenko interview for Reuters.
“Our idea is that giving Ukraine (the invitation) now is a political signal… We sincerely believe that this can be part of the legacy of the current American administration.”, – noted Halibarenko.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi has recently repeatedly emphasized that a quick invitation to NATO is a key element of the victory plan. Ambassador Halibarenko added that such an invitation would remove the main cause of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, as Moscow used the prospect of Ukraine’s membership in NATO as a pretext for starting a war.
“If we say that there is an invitation, then for the Russian Federation it will be like a final verdict – that’s all, so we can no longer raise the stakes on this topic.” she said.
We will remind that Ukraine is actively advancing in the issues of joining NATO and the EU during a full-scale war. In the fall of 2022, President Zelenskyi announced the signing of an application for accelerated accession to NATO, and Ukraine expected a clear membership schedule. However, no such decision has been made so far, and the Allies hint that Ukraine’s entry into the Alliance may take place after the end of the war.
Zelensky emphasizes that the invitation to NATO is an integral part of Ukraine’s victory strategy.
