The Coordinator on Strategic Communications of the White House National Security Council, John Kirby, spoke about the conditions under which Ukraine can join NATO. According to him, the minimum requirement for Kiev is the victory in the war with Russia. Only then will the allies be able to agree to the expansion of the alliance.
Kirby stated this during a briefing on June 17. He stressed that Ukraine should be taken to the Alliance, but only after the victory over the Russian Federation.
"At first, they have to win this war. And we do our best to make sure that Ukrainians will be able to do it," Kirby said.
He also recalled that US President Joe Biden has recently signed a security bilateral agreement with Ukraine and believes that NATO is taking place in its future. However, the path to membership will be long, because it is necessary to make sure that the conflict is completed, not paused.
In September 2022, Ukraine officially applied for NATO membership, demonstrating its desire to integrate with Western partners and strengthen security against Russian aggression. At a summit in Bucharest last year, NATO member states confirmed their support for Ukraine and identified three key steps towards its membership.
However, according to Special Assistant US President Thomas Wright, Ukraine will not be admitted to NATO in 2024. In addition, joining the Alliance in the coming years is unlikely because Ukraine is now in a state of hostilities with Russia.
The Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar stated that Kyiv does not now put forward any requirements for NATO accession, since the main need is weapons for the faster completion of the war with the Russian Federation. However, Ukrainians hope to receive some answers at the NATO leaders, planned in Washington.
