The United States and Germany oppose extending an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO

At the upcoming NATO summit, Kyiv seeks an official invitation to the alliance, but many Western allies prefer to make promises to Ukraine without taking concrete actions. Simultaneously, Eastern European countries and Britain insist on extending the invitation, as reported by Foreign Policy citing sources.

Certain NATO members oppose Ukraine’s admission to the alliance during the ongoing war, fearing it could escalate tensions with Russia over the occupied Ukrainian territories. Despite this opposition, there is general support for Ukraine’s eventual NATO membership. Reports suggest that France may be open to officially inviting Ukraine, while Poland, the Czech Republic and Baltic nations argue that only Ukraine’s NATO inclusion will persuade Russia to cease its invasion and end the conflict.

Advocates for Ukraine’s NATO membership argue that it would be a more cost-effective solution compared to continuous arms deliveries. However, the United States has urged its allies not to aggressively push this matter during the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, aiming to prevent Russia from exploiting potential divisions within the Alliance. The publication highlights that even if Ukraine receives an invitation, gaining approval from all NATO member countries could take “years.”