Ukraine 'Will Become' A Member Of NATO, State Department Vows

Washington D.C./12.07.23/Turan:   The Biden administration is holding firm to its position backing NATO's hesitation to extend an invitation to Ukraine during the Vilnius summit, however it also made clear on Tuesday that Ukraine's future is in NATO, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

“[W]e made clear today that Ukraine will become a member of NATO,” State Department's Spokesperson Matthew Miller told Tuesday's press briefing when responding to TURAN's questions.

He went on to elaborate, "One of the things Russia said before this war began is that they were firmly opposed to Ukraine joining NATO, and they wanted an ironclad commitment that Ukraine would never join NATO. And we made clear that was not on the table, that we maintained NATO’s open-door policy. We reiterate that commitment today."

The move came amid a rift between NATO and Ukraine, which split open as President Volodimir Zelenskyy blasted the alliance for not using language in a joint statement that signals Kyiv would eventually become a member nation.

In its summit communiqué released Tuesday, the 31-member nations declared “Ukraine’s future is in NATO” but that more democratic and security reforms are required first.

“We will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when Allies agree and conditions are met,” the communiqué stated.

The compromise elicited a disappointed response from Kyiv as President Zelenskyy tweeted that he had come to Lithuania hoping the alliance would be an organization that “does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor … is that too much to expect?”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg defended the compromise text, calling it “a strong package for Ukraine,” that ultimately offers "a clear path towards its membership in NATO.”

President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with the Ukrainian leader this afternoon to further discuss the matter.

Back in Washington, the State Department's Miller cited several conditions that NATO had decided Ukraine must meet for an invitation to the alliance, including democratic reforms and the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“We are ready to extend an invitation when conditions are met,” he said when pressed by reporters. “There is an important reason why they are not becoming a member of NATO right now — because it would instantly put the United States in a shooting war with Russia.”

Miller also said that members of NATO stood ready to help Ukraine meet the necessary conditions for its acceptance to the alliance.

TURAN's correspondent also asked the spokesperson about the Kremlin's latest threats against NATO following Türkiye's decision to move forward with Sweden's membership. 

"Russia has made inappropriate threats, and not just threats, but has obviously launched a war against its neighbors, and we would not be surprised if they continued to make inappropriate threats against their neighbors and against others in the region," Miller said.

He concluded:  "We will continue to do what we need to do to strengthen NATO, to reinforce NATO, and to make clear that those threats are inappropriate."

Alex Raufoglu