Europe

Home page

Europe

Stoltenberg: If Ukraine does not win, the issue of membership will not be discussed

24 May 2023 18:06 (UTC +04:00)

“There are various thoughts in NATO, and decisions in NATO are made by consensus. Discussions are underway regarding Ukraine’s membership to NATO and even I will have several phone calls in this direction today,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Brussels forum, APA reports.
“Of course, we should respond to the Ukrainians’ ambitions regarding the membership to NATO. Nobody can say which decision will be in the Vilnius summit regarding this issue. We are an alliance consisting 31 members and at the end of the day, we can agree and come to a consensus. When it comes to the issue of Ukraine’s membership, there are mutual positions agreed by the members. We all agree that Ukraine will be a member of NATO and actually, it was clearly announced at Madrid Summit last year. And since 2008- since this issue has been put forward, it was repeatedly stated. We all agree that the doors of NATO are open for new members. When Ukraine will join NATO, this was decided by Ukraine and NATO, not Moscow and Moscow does not have a right of veto. However, we all agree that the task before us now is the victory of Ukraine as an independent, sovereign country. If Ukraine does not win, then, the issue of membership will also not be discussed,” noted Stoltenberg.