Germany, Hungary, and the United States are among several nations reportedly opposing Ukraine’s bid to join NATO.
Le Monde reported Tuesday that Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy’s push for NATO membership faces resistance from key NATO members, including Germany and the United States.
Zelenskyy reiterated his request for a NATO invitation on Sunday, before a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. During a meeting in Kyiv with the EU’s new foreign policy chief and the new president of the European Council, he stressed that an invitation was vital for Ukraine’s survival.
However, a diplomat quoted in the French newspaper stated that the matter is not currently under discussion in Brussels. This official cited objections from Germany, Hungary, and the U.S., describing Ukrainian NATO membership as a highly unsettling prospect for many allies. Other countries, such as France and the UK, have voiced support for Kyiv’s aspirations.
The report noted that outgoing US President Joe Biden declined to authorize an invitation. President-elect Donald Trump, who has consistently opposed the idea, has promised a 24-hour resolution to the Ukraine conflict upon his return to office.
Trump’s newly appointed special envoy to Russia and Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellogg, suggested in an earlier report that to encourage Moscow’s participation in peace talks, Biden and other NATO leaders should consider postponing Ukraine’s NATO membership in exchange for a comprehensive and verifiable peace agreement with security guarantees.
Ukraine formally applied for NATO membership in September 2022. While some member states have expressed support, the alliance has consistently maintained that Ukraine’s membership is contingent on the resolution of the conflict with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long cited NATO’s eastward expansion as a contributing factor to the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations, adopt a neutral stance, and relinquish claims to the five former Ukrainian regions that joined Russia before any peace negotiations can begin.
Zelenskyy has previously insisted that a complete Russian withdrawal from these territories and the restoration of Ukraine’s 1991 borders are preconditions for peace talks.
However, he stated on Monday to Kyodo News that Kyiv could agree to a ceasefire with Moscow if NATO accession is guaranteed, asserting that this would strengthen Ukraine’s position in the event of future conflict with Russia.
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