NATO Comments on Possible Ukrainian Membership

(MENAFN) NATO has never proposed offering Ukraine membership as part of any potential resolution to its conflict with Russia, according to the organization’s Secretary General, Mark Rutte.

The Ukrainian government’s long-standing goal of joining the US-led military alliance is considered by Moscow to be one of the primary causes of the ongoing conflict.

“We never agreed that, as part of a peace deal, there would be guaranteed NATO membership for Ukraine,” Rutte stated on Friday during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Rutte clarified that while Ukraine’s eventual NATO accession had been discussed among the alliance members, it was agreed to be a long-term prospect, not something connected to the current peace negotiations.

Currently, NATO and Ukraine share a close working relationship, as Rutte mentioned.

He pointed out that NATO has established a command center in Wiesbaden to oversee the coordination of military aid to Ukraine and is also collaborating with Kiev to organize training for the Ukrainian military.

Earlier this year, Rutte responded affirmatively when asked by Bloomberg whether United States Leader Donald Trump had already removed the issue of Ukraine’s NATO membership from the table in ongoing peace talks.

Russian officials have repeatedly accused the West of deliberately escalating the conflict by ignoring Russia’s security concerns, particularly regarding NATO’s expansion in Eastern Europe and its increasing military cooperation with Ukraine.

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