US, Germany oppose immediate NATO membership for Ukraine, Politico

The United States and Germany are leading opposition to Ukraine’s immediate entry into NATO, despite widespread general support for Kyiv’s eventual membership, Politico has reported. Most alliance members back Ukraine’s accession “in principle,” but are unwilling to extend a formal invitation at this stage.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has prioritized NATO membership as a key component of his “victory plan,” believing that early entry into the alliance could help deter further Russian aggression. However, many NATO allies, including the US, remain cautious.

“Today, the alliance has not reached a point where it would be ready to offer membership or an invitation to Ukraine,” US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told Politico. While publicly the Biden administration has emphasized that membership talks can only begin after Russia’s war in Ukraine ends, privately, US officials are skeptical that most European allies will support fast-tracking Kyiv’s accession.

Germany, in particular, has voiced strong opposition. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during a recent visit with President Joe Biden, underscored concerns that offering NATO membership to Ukraine could escalate the war into a larger conflict. “We are trying to prevent NATO from becoming a party to the war,” Scholz said.

Hungary and Slovakia are also vocal critics of Ukraine’s membership. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán dismissed Zelenskyy’s plan as “scary,” while Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warned that Ukraine’s inclusion in NATO could lead to “a third world war.”

While some European countries, such as Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain, prefer to remain less publicly opposed, they share the US and Germany’s reluctance to move forward with an immediate invitation, the report noted.

In contrast, Poland, the Baltic states, and France have expressed greater enthusiasm for Ukraine’s quick integration into the alliance. French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Adad recently stated that an invitation would be “a political signal” that could be extended now.

Last week, France’s Le Monde newspaper reported that the US may soften its stance after the 2024 presidential election, with President Joe Biden potentially launching the process for Ukraine’s NATO accession if Vice President Kamala Harris secures victory.