NATO to agree on Ukraine accession, but only 1-2 years after war: MoD
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Prominent Western figures and politicians have warned for decades against the coalition's continued expansion toward Russia's border and its consequences on Europe.
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attends the NATO summit via video link from Kiev, Ukraine, on June 29, 2022 (Reuters)
NATO will provide Ukraine with a road map to join the military coalition during the upcoming Vilnius summit held by the alliance, but the Eastern European country will only be eligible one to two years after the end of the war, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
The Ministry was citing remarks made by Deputy Defense Ministry Volodymyr Gavrilov.
"In his comments, Volodymyr Gavrilov noted that at the summit in July, NATO countries "will agree on a certain procedure for our accession, which will be formalized," the Ministry said on Telegram.
Read more: NATO considering forming 'deterrent shell' around Ukraine
Gavrilov claimed that the veto power of NATO members to Ukraine's accession will not be a "great problem", hinting that current objections will be resolved without specifying how.
His statement came despite earlier confirmation by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that the members are divided on what to do regarding Ukraine's bid to join.
In April, Stoltenberg stressed that the "first step is to ensure that Ukraine prevails as an independent nation."
The country "will get what it wants in a certain format," Gavrilov continued.
"Already now, at the summit in Vilnius, Ukraine should understand that after the war, say, within a year or two, after certain procedures are carried out, we will become members of NATO."
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty states that an act of aggression made on one member of the US-led military bloc shall be regarded as an attack on them all and requires an immediate response. This clause has raised concerns over dragging the alliance to an undesirable war such as the one currently taking place in Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal reported in May that NATO's anticipated July summit in Lithuania will reportedly entail no progress on Kiev's bid to membership in the military bloc. While the summit will include extensive proposals for increasing support to Kiev, Ukraine's long-desired bid for NATO membership is reportedly off the agenda, the newspaper said.
In September 2022, Ukraine submitted an accelerated application to join the Western alliance hoping that approving the application might aid its war with Russia.
NATO's continuous expansion toward Russia's eastern borders has imposed a direct threat to its security.
Moscow has long underscored the importance of Ukraine's neutrality as a fundamental condition for establishing sustainable and enduring peace in the region.
