NATO's chief avoids talk of Ukraine's membership. He says the priority is helping Kyiv defend itself

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 9:15 AM EST, December 3, 2024


BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Tuesday sidestepped questions about Ukraine’s possible membership in the military alliance, saying that the priority now must be to strengthen the country’s hand in any future peace talks with Russia by sending it more weapons.

Rutte’s remarks, ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, came days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that extending alliance membership to territory now under Kyiv’s control could end “the hot stage” of the almost 3-year war in Ukraine, where Russian forces are pressing deeper into their western neighbor.

“The front is not moving eastwards. It is slowly moving westwards,” Rutte said. “So we have to make sure that Ukraine gets into a position of strength, and then it should be for the Ukrainian government to decide on the next steps, in terms of opening peace talks and how to conduct them.”

At their summit in Washington in July, leaders of the 32 NATO member countries insisted that Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to membership. But some, led by the United States, have balked at moving forward while the war rages and before the country’s borders are clearly demarcated. All 32 countries must agree unanimously for Ukraine to join.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-nato-membership-711864994f05597cc8b7816c1e6b236b

[maxsolomon]

1. To join NATO, the war needs to end, and Ukraine cannot have active territorial disputes.

That's one reason Putin has occupied Crimea since 2014, Transnistria in Moldova, and 2 regions in Georgia (one of which can only be accessed from Russia through a mountain tunnel). It blocks them from escaping to the safety of NATO.

The cost of NATO membership will be ceding the 3 conquered Oblasts to Russia. It may well be worth it.