Ukraine must comply with NATO standards before joining, Secretary Blinken says
Flags of NATO and Ukraine (Photo:WiR_Pixs / pixabay)
NATO maintains its “open doors” policy in regard to Ukraine’s potential membership, but compliance with the alliance's standards is a necessary precondition for any applicant, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a briefing on April 5.
He stressed that NATO members are currently focused on doing everything they can to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian invasion and liberate its territories.
According to the secretary, strengthening of Ukraine's capacity to deter aggression in the long term remains the subject of discussion among allies. This includes the country's compliance with NATO standards. Currently, the allies are working on concrete steps in this direction.
“Of course, the doors of NATO remain open and there is no change in that, but we must focus on the weeks and months ahead, in particular on preparing Ukraine for a counter-offensive to try to take back more territory, as well as on the work that needs to be done, to continue bringing Ukraine to NATO standards,” Blinken said.
On April 4, The Wall Street Journal reported that while NATO is looking to reaffirm its commitment to Kyiv’s cause in the war with Russia, Ukrainian membership is not currently on the agenda.
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