NATO appears unlikely to extend a membership invitation to Ukraine at Tuesday’s foreign ministers meeting, diplomatic sources say, tempering Kyiv’s hopes for a political victory as it faces battlefield challenges and anticipates Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged NATO counterparts in a letter to issue an invitation, arguing it would eliminate one of Russia’s primary justifications for the war. However, diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity indicate there’s no consensus among NATO’s 32 members for such a move.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized Tuesday that while the alliance continues “building the bridge” to Ukrainian membership, the immediate priority remains providing military assistance. “The meeting in the next two days will very much concentrate on how to make sure that Ukraine, whenever it decides to enter into peace talks, will do so from positional strength,” Rutte said.
Recent developments include new military aid announcements from several NATO members, including a $725 million U.S. weapons package announced Monday. Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, and Norway have also pledged additional support.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry firmly rejected any alternatives to full NATO membership, citing the failed Budapest Memorandum of 30 years ago, when Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons for security assurances from major powers. “We will not accept any alternatives, surrogates or substitutes for Ukraine’s full membership in NATO,” the ministry stated.
