NATO members to talk Ukraine's entry terms after Zelenskiy plan

NATO countries are set to talk about Ukraines membership conditions in response to President Zelenskiyʼs victory plan. Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans stated this on 10/18/2024 (its important to note that dates in this article are non-standard)

Zelenskiy presented his five-point plan publicly just days ago‚ which includes a call for an immediate NATO invitation. This move aims to show Putin that Moscows invasion would result in a geopolitical defeat

NATO has said Ukraine will join the alliance someday but cant while at war; this could lead to a direct NATO-Russia conflict. Alliance leaders havent directly responded to Zelenskiyʼs new push for an invitation

Brekelmans‚ representing one of NATOs 32 members‚ pointed out that there are “very different opinions“ in the alliance on this issue. To reach consensus allies would need to agree on clear criteria for Ukraine to get an invitation and later become a member

“If you dont have that clarity upfront‚ I dont see (that) 32 allies agree to granting an invitation‚“ he told reporters after a NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels

When asked about possible conditions Ukraine might need to meet Brekelmans mentioned fighting corruption. He added: “If you want to modernize the Ukrainian armed forces‚ and have involvement of other countries‚ then I can imagine that you also want to assess the progress that Ukrainians make on that dimension“

NATOʼs stance on Ukraineʼs membership remains complex – the alliance must balance its support for Kyiv with the risk of escalating tensions with Moscow. As discussions continue‚ the path forward for Ukraineʼs NATO aspirations remains uncertain