State Department: The U.S. is not prepared to invite Ukraine to join NATO.

Currently, the United States is not prepared to extend an invitation to Ukraine for NATO membership, which is a key aspect of President Volodymyr Zelensky's victory plan. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Linda Smith stated that the Alliance is not at a stage where membership can be offered to our country. At this moment, the goal of the U.S. is to continue doing everything possible to bring Ukraine closer to the point where it can be invited to NATO.

This was reported by Politico, citing Linda Smith. She also commented on concerns about a potential shift in NATO's position if Donald Trump is elected as President of the United States.

"As of today, the Alliance has not reached a point where it is ready to offer membership or invite Ukraine (to NATO, - ed.)," Smith said, adding that "the intention of the U.S. is to continue to bring Ukraine closer to NATO."

Despite fears that Donald Trump’s return to power might alter the stance towards NATO, Smith does not see this as a threat. She stated that various presidents have supported the Alliance for decades, and if Trump were to become president, nothing would change.

"For 75 years, U.S. presidents of different political orientations have supported this alliance and committed to ensuring its leadership. I am confident that the U.S. will continue to fulfill this role in the future, regardless of the outcome of the elections on November 5," Smith added.

Why Ukraine is not being invited to NATO

After Volodymyr Zelensky presented the Victory Plan, which includes Ukraine's NATO membership as a key point, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte commented on it. He stated that the spot for the 33rd NATO member remains open for Ukraine, but an invitation should be expected only in the future, not at this time.

U.S. Congressman Gerry Connolly, head of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, explained that there is an ongoing war in Ukraine, and before joining NATO, sovereignty over all territories must be restored. Le Monde reported that until now, the U.S. and Germany have blocked NATO expansion at Ukraine's expense. Meanwhile, France and the United Kingdom support more rapid actions on this issue.

During a meeting on October 16 between Biden and the leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom, and France — Olaf Scholz, Keir Starmer, and Emmanuel Macron — no consensus was reached regarding Zelensky’s victory plan, and it is unlikely that this will happen before the American elections. However, as reported, the U.S. no longer has principled objections to a "simple invitation" for Ukraine to join NATO. If Harris becomes president, Biden may begin work on this.

It is worth noting that Zelensky previously stated that Ukraine will become a NATO member once it defeats Russia. There have also been reports about how bookmakers predict the future in Ukraine.