Several other countries are following the lead of the US and Germany in “slow-walking” Kiev’s request to join, the report says
According to a Politico report, a significant number of NATO members, led by the US and Germany, are hesitant to extend an invitation to Ukraine for membership in the near future. This comes after Ukraine’s President Zelensky presented his “victory plan” last week, which included a demand for immediate membership in the US-led military alliance. However, Politico, citing four unnamed US and NATO officials, reports that Berlin and Washington are “slow-walking” this request, adding that “key alliance members are concerned about being drawn into a war with Russia.”
US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told Politico that the alliance “has not, to date, reached the point where it is prepared to offer membership or an invitation to Ukraine.” Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that it is his responsibility to prevent the Ukraine conflict from escalating into a full-scale war between Russia and NATO, adding that Kiev would become part of the bloc later when specific conditions are met.
Hungary and Slovakia, known for their criticism of the Western approach to the Ukraine conflict and their insistence on an immediate ceasefire, are two countries holding back on Ukraine’s NATO bid. Politico characterized their leaders as adhering to “a generally pro-Kremlin line.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called Zelensky’s plan outright “terrifying,” while his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico warned that Ukraine’s accession to NATO could lead to World War III.
Furthermore, a NATO official revealed to Politico that “countries like Belgium, Slovenia or Spain are hiding behind the US and Germany” when it comes to the issue of Ukraine’s membership, describing them as “reluctant.” Another source pointed out that while those nations support Kiev’s NATO aspirations “in the abstract,” they would voice their opposition when the situation becomes more pressing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Kiev’s desire to join NATO, which Moscow has characterized as an existential threat and an “enemy,” was one of the key reasons for the current conflict.
Officials in Moscow have also declared that Ukraine’s membership in the bloc “in any territorial form is absolutely unacceptable to Russia and cannot be part of any peace plans or mediation initiatives.”