“I asked President Biden very directly about NATO, about Ukraine’s membership in NATO and very directly about when this might happen. He said: I think you should be there, but this is not only my decision,” Zelensky said, noting that cited Biden’s answer not verbatim.
The President of Ukraine noted that he had heard this rhetoric from Biden before his visit to Washington.
“I told him: you are right, Mr. President. But I think that because of your decision, this path to NATO will be shorter, more transparent for Ukraine,” Zelensky added.
Zelenskiy met with Biden in Washington on September 1.
During Zelenskiy’s visit to Washington, the United States and Ukraine did joint statement about strategic partnership between countries. In particular, both states called on the Russian Federation fulfill ceasefire commitments in Donbass, Washington supported Kiev’s right to choose its foreign policy course, including NATO membership… In addition, the US government intends allocate Ukraine for reforms hundreds of millions of dollars in 2021.
Ukraine stepped up cooperation with NATO in 2014 against the background of the occupation of Crimea by Russia and the armed conflict in Donbass. At the end of 2014, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law that provides for the refusal of Ukraine from the policy of “non-aligned”… In accordance with the Military Doctrine of Ukraine, adopted in 2015, deepening cooperation with NATO is a priority task.
On February 7, 2019, the Ukrainian parliament adopted a law on amending the Constitution provisions on the strategic course of the state for the acquisition of full membership of Ukraine in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Law entered effective February 21.
In 2018, NATO recognized Ukraine postgraduate country status – candidate for membership in the Alliance, in 2020 Ukraine received the status of an advanced partner.
On June 14, 2021, a NATO summit was held in Brussels, in the final communiqué of which it was noted that the Alliance supports Ukraine’s entry into NATO.
Biden said that Russian aggression will not become an obstacle for Ukraine’s accession to NATO… At the same time, when asked if Ukraine will receive an action plan for NATO membership, he said that “it remains to be seen” and first, Ukraine must root out corruption.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in July that Ukraine wants to get from NATO specific information about the prospects of joining the Alliance… “If Russia is the reason, do not tell us that it is because of the lack of reforms,” Kuleba stressed.
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