Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at NATO headquarters in Brussels, April 4. AP.
The U.S., Germany, and Hungary plan to oppose offering Ukraine a "road map" to join NATO at the alliance’s July summit.
Rifts have emerged between NATO member states over how the military
alliance should relate to Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion,
reports the Financial Times, citing four people familiar with the
discussions.
- Divisions about whether
NATO should start preparing for Ukraine's future membership were
revealed during a meeting of the alliance's foreign affairs ministers this week.
- NATO agreed in 2008 that Ukraine will eventually become a member, but no action has since been taken toward realizing the goal.
- Ukrainian
president Volodymyr Zelensky has refused to attend the July summit
unless NATO provides concrete steps toward Ukraine's membership.
- Poland has backed Zelensky's calls for a post-war security guarantee from NATO that could be similar to the relationship between Israel and the U.S.
- Ukraine officially applied for a fast-track to NATO membership following the Russian invasion last year.
- All 31 NATO members agreed not to consider Ukraine's potential accession until its conflict with Russia ends. The alliance has instead focused on providing short-term assistance to Ukraine.
- Washington is concerned that strengthening NATO's relationship with Ukraine may escalate its ongoing conflict with Russia to the point that nuclear deployments are considered.
