Ukranian President, Volodimir Zelenskyy has stated his nation’s readiness to join Transatlantic military alliance, NATO, a major statement of intent, given that joining NATO was one of the reasons Russia gave for invading Ukraine in February 2022.
“I think security guarantees are important not only for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said during a press conference on Thursday June 1 with Moldovan President Maia Sandu while in Chisinau for the second meeting of the European Political Community.
“They are also important for Moldova, because Russia is carrying out aggression in Ukraine and there is a potential threat of aggression in other parts of Europe.”
At the same time, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced that NATO cannot accept new members that are currently embroiled in war.
“NATO’s open door policy remains in place, but at the same time it is clear that we cannot talk about accepting new members (who are) in the midst of a war,” U.S. television channel CNN quoted Baerbock ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers from member nations of the military alliance in Oslo, Norway, on June 1.
Baerbock said the meeting in Oslo is another step ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, scheduled for July, which aims to foster agreement on how to strengthen relations with Kyiv.
All NATO members agree that Ukraine will ultimately become a member of the alliance, but the current priority is to ensure Kyiv’s victory, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on May 9.