Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that after a discussion, NATO member states agreed to cancel the Membership Action Plan for Ukraine on its way to joining the Alliance.
Kuleba wrote about this on his Twitter.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister welcomed the decision, which will shorten Ukraine’s path to NATO.
Earlier, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna added that the entire eastern flank of NATO, as well as several Western European countries, are now in favour of inviting Ukraine to join.
She also believes that NATO can invite Ukraine to join even during the war and complete the process when circumstances allow.
Russia’s war of aggression changed countries’ stance on Ukraine’s accession to NATO
At the same time, in key European countries, attitudes towards Ukraine’s accession to NATO have changed under the influence of Russia’s full-scale war and invasion of Ukraine.
Putin’s aggression has deprived sceptical NATO countries of the most potent counterargument against Ukraine’s membership – a possible escalation by Russia if Kyiv is invited to join the Alliance. The all-out war has already happened.
French politicians and experts admit that while a few years ago they did not support the idea of Ukraine’s membership in NATO, today, they see nothing wrong with it.
Similarly, in the opinion of all leading German security experts, Germany will not oppose Ukraine’s invitation to NATO if it gets the green light from the White House.
How Ukraine’s accession can benefit NATO?
On the other hand, supporters of Kyiv’s accession to the Alliance emphasise the positive factors for NATO. Experts say that Ukraine deserved membership in the Alliance by courageously defending its independence and territorial integrity by fighting against Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
They also emphasise that the experience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces gained in the war will greatly benefit NATO and that Ukraine will become a great asset for the Alliance.
Since February 2022, the Ukrainian army has been repelling a full-scale assault by the so-called second-largest army in the world and shielding NATO from the biggest direct threat. Kyiv appears as a shield between the democratic West and the authoritarian East.
In addition, NATO membership will be fundamental to Ukraine’s successful and safe post-war reconstruction and future security guarantees for the country.
