For Kyiv, a successful outcome at the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius would be the Alliance announcing a clear algorithm for Ukraine’s accession, European Pravda reported.
Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Foreign Minister, stated that NATO itself needs to invite Ukraine to join the Summit, which will take place in Vilnius in July 2023.
“The Vilnius summit can be considered successful if the allies take a decisive step away from vague wording about Ukraine becoming a NATO member to a clear algorithm that will show how and when this will happen,” Perebynis said at the conference “Ukraine and NATO ahead of the Vilnius summit,” which takes place in Kyiv today.
If Russia realizes that Ukraine’s NATO accession process is irreversible, de-escalation may follow, as Russia will eventually lose its formal pretext for war, Perebyinis believes.
“De facto, Ukraine is already a NATO member and is effectively defending its eastern flank. To finally recognize this reality, we need to abandon the myths that Russia has been spreading among NATO members for years, explaining that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is the blackest of the red lines. This will help overcome Russian blackmail,” Perebyinis said.
Perebyinis believes that Russia will accept Ukraine’s accession to NATO as quickly as it accepted the NATO membership of Bulgaria, the Baltic states, or Finland.
Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy told that he understands that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is impossible during the war. But he stressed to WSJ journalists that there is no point in participating in the NATO summit in Vilnius if Ukrainian representatives won’t receive particular signals on when Ukraine can join the Alliance.
Besides, after the meeting of NATO ministers in Oslo, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister said that it was time for Ukraine to give a clear answer to the question of how and when it could join NATO.
Related:
Former NATO Secretary General: I want to invite Ukraine to join NATO in Vilnius
EU security is under threat without Ukraine in NATO
France decides to back Ukraine’s NATO bid – Le Monde
NATO’s strategy shift: Stronger eastern defenses and zero occupation tolerance
Support for easing Ukraine’s path to NATO grows among alliance members
