Zelenskyy Criticizes NATO’s Inadequate Plans for Ukraine

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Tuesday lambasted NATO’s failure to provide a timetable for Ukraine’s admission into the alliance. His severe critique disrupted a meeting intended to bolster unity among NATO leaders against Russian belligerence.

Zelenskyy’s comments risk reviving tensions at the summit, which had just experienced a positive momentum shift after Turkey’s endorsement of Sweden’s intention to join NATO. The aim is to resolve fluctuating negotiations, thereby defining a concrete path for the alliance’s support for Ukraine.

A draft proposal concerning Ukraine’s potential membership has been prepared but not made public yet. Despite U.S. President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg indicating support, Zelenskyy expressed his dissatisfaction via Twitter.

“We appreciate our allies,” he stated, adding, “Ukraine also warrants respect.”

The Ukrainian President labeled it as “unprecedented and ridiculous” for the lack of set timelines for both the invitation and Ukraine’s membership. He concluded by stating, “Uncertainty signifies weakness. And I will discuss this candidly at the summit.”

On Wednesday, Zelenskyy is slated to engage with Biden and other NATO leaders.

The alliance has seen internal disagreements over Ukraine’s aspiration to join NATO, a promise made in 2008, albeit with minimal progress towards achieving this objective.

Earlier this week, Stoltenberg pledged in a Foreign Affairs article to strengthen political relations with Ukraine by establishing a NATO-Ukraine Council to facilitate decision-making and crisis consultation.

However, Zelenskyy’s apprehensions persist. Baltic states, including Lithuania, the summit’s host, have advocated for a resolute show of support and a well-defined roadmap to membership for Ukraine.

Contrarily, the United States and Germany are advocating prudence. Biden recently stated that Ukraine is not prepared for NATO membership, as the country must meet all qualifications, including democratization and other governance-related concerns. Additionally, there are fears that Ukraine’s inclusion in NATO might incite Russia rather than deter aggression.

As the NATO summit proceeds, the issue of Ukraine sharply contrasts the hard-fought agreement to support Sweden’s membership. This agreement is set to enhance NATO’s influence in Northern Europe.

Reflecting on the successful negotiations, Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, noted, “Rumors of the demise of NATO’s unity were greatly overstated.”

The Kremlin has expressed dissatisfaction, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warning against hastily making Ukraine a NATO member, citing potential risks to European security.

Meanwhile, Biden’s discussions with Turkish President Erdogan regarding Turkey’s demands for advanced American fighter jets and EU membership are awaited. The White House maintains that these issues are separate from Sweden’s NATO membership.

The NATO summit forms the main part of Biden’s five-day European tour. The President had meetings in the UK on Monday, and following the summit’s conclusion on Wednesday, he will travel to Helsinki to meet with Nordic leaders and celebrate Finland’s recent NATO entry.

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More about Ukraine’s NATO membership

• NATO’s stance on Ukraine
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidency
• Ukraine’s relationship with NATO
• Russian aggression against Ukraine
• NATO’s recent summits
• President Biden’s foreign policy