Stoltenberg managed to find a silver lining for Ukraine, saying NATO could act much faster than the European Union, another group kyiv wants to join.
“In the European Union, of course, when you are invited, it can take years before you are invited to become a member,” Stoltenberg said. “When you’re in NATO, when you’re invited, it’s something that happens shortly afterwards.”
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna – whose country is one of Ukraine’s biggest defenders – acknowledged that kyiv’s membership would not be a top priority at the July summit, given the violent fighting on the ground.
“We are creating a bridge and Ukraine will finally become a member of NATO,” Tsahkna told POLITICO. “But now we have to focus on the existing situation.”
For NATO’s friendlier allies, such as Poland, the United Kingdom and France, this “bridge” involves focusing on strengthening military interoperability between Ukraine and NATO – an indicator key to Kiev’s ability to join in the future.
France has floated the idea of sending military personnel to Ukraine for training purposes, while NATO ministers also agreed to let the organization play a bigger role in coordinating troop training Ukrainians.
Politices
