The U.S. and six other nations continue to oppose Ukraine's invitation to NATO.
France and the United Kingdom have endorsed the idea of inviting Ukraine to NATO. However, several countries within the Alliance still oppose this move. Among them are the USA, Germany, and Hungary.
Le Monde reports on this matter. The newspaper notes that currently, seven states oppose Ukraine's invitation to NATO:
- United States of America,
- Germany,
- Hungary,
- Slovakia,
- Belgium,
- Slovenia,
- Spain.
According to media reports, France and the UK are insisting on Ukraine's invitation to the Alliance. However, U.S. President Joe Biden is unwilling to make this decision before the end of his term.
Former President Donald Trump, as the publication emphasizes, "has never supported this idea." Le Monde states that Trump allegedly suggested postponing Ukraine's NATO membership for at least 20 years.
Recent Ukrainian Statements on NATO Membership
On November 29, Volodymyr Zelensky made a new statement regarding the "surrender" of Ukrainian territories in an interview with Sky News. The president declared readiness to end the hot phase of the war provided that the government-controlled part of Ukrainian territory is placed under NATO's umbrella. In his view, this would allow for later negotiations on the return of occupied territories "through diplomatic means." At the same time, the invitation to the Alliance should recognize Ukraine's internationally recognized borders, Zelensky stated.
Ukraine has officially rejected guarantees that serve as substitutes for NATO membership. This was announced on December 3 by "European Truth," citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"The only real guarantee of security and a deterrent against further Russian aggression is Ukraine's full membership in NATO. Having the bitter experience of the Budapest Memorandum behind us, we will not agree to any alternatives, surrogates, or substitutes for this," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.