Stoltenberg: Ukraine needs to think not about NATO membership, but about victory over Russia
The issue of Ukraine's membership in NATO is not pressing for the Alliance today; it is much more important to help it win in its war with Russia.
This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, answering questions from members of the European Parliament.
“There are currently three more countries applying for NATO membership: Ukraine, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Stoltenberg said.
According to him, in the case of BiH there are “serious problems”. NATO is trying to help the country strengthen democratic institutions, but “you know the problems of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as I do,” the Alliance Secretary General noted.
“As for Georgia and Ukraine, the focus now is on Ukraine to support it, to help it win as an independent sovereign state. That's the main focus - we're not focused on membership right now. But, of course, everything we do now to help and support, as well as modernize the Ukrainian defense and security institutions, will also bring them closer to membership at some stage,” he said.
As for Georgia, he said the focus is also on reforms on the country's path to membership.
“But, as you also know, any decision on membership also requires unanimity. All allies must agree. And we don’t have agreement in NATO to take the next step and develop an action plan for NATO membership,” he added.
Stoltenberg : Ukraine needs to think not about NATO membership, but about defeating Russia.