Stoltenberg explains main problem preventing Ukraine from joining NATO

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Getty Images)

All NATO allies have declared that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance. This requires appropriate actions and consensus from all member countries, said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, according to the message by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Stoltenberg said that all allies have declared that Ukraine will be a member of NATO now need to move towards this goal. He said there needs to be extensive work done to ensure that Ukraine is fully interoperable, meeting all NATO standards. So that when the political decision comes, Ukraine could do it.

According to the NATO Secretary-General, the current issue lies in the fact that when there is an invitation for a country to become a member of the treaty, it requires not just a majority of the 32 allies, but for all allies to agree to the decision.

“At the moment, we have not reached such an agreement. That’s the reality,” he explained.

Ukraine and NATO membership

After Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine applied for NATO membership. At that time, Kyiv sought an accelerated accession procedure without the so-called Membership Action Plan.

Ahead of the NATO summit planned for July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is already preparing. In the US, Kyiv aims to receive an invitation to the Alliance.

Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said that the US and Germany are against Ukraine’s official invitation to NATO.

At the same time, Stefanishyna emphasized that the final decision on Ukraine’s invitation to NATO is not tied to the Washington summit.