NATO Holds Back on Ukraine Membership as Zelensky Slams ‘Absurd’ Delay
NATO Plays the Waiting Game on Ukraine Admission
At a high-stakes summit in Vilnius, NATO left Ukraine’s membership hopes hanging. The alliance declared Ukraine could join “when allies agree and conditions are met” – but offered no clear timeline. President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed the hold-up as “absurd,” voicing frustration over NATO’s cautious approach.
Mixed Signals and Membership Roadblocks
The NATO communiqué admitted a faster membership process is needed but stopped short of setting deadlines. Zelensky, attending the summit, criticised the alliance’s hesitancy, hinting some members aren’t ready to back Ukraine fully. While Kyiv understands it can’t join during the ongoing conflict with Russia, it wants to get in as soon as hostilities stop.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said allies reaffirmed Ukraine’s future membership but scrapped the formal iterative Membership Action Plan (MAP), skipping to a one-step process instead. Despite this, Zelensky warned that without a firm timeline, Ukraine’s bid could become a bargaining chip in talks with Moscow, weakening Kyiv’s stance.
Internal NATO Rift and Turkey’s Big U-Turn
Division remains among members. Some fear fast-tracking Ukraine might provoke Russia to drag out the war. Still, NATO praised Ukraine’s growing military cooperation and political reforms, pledging to support further improvements.
Not all news was grim. Turkey ended its blockade on Sweden’s NATO bid, which had stalled over accusations of Sweden harbouring Kurdish militants. That move clears the path for Sweden to become NATO’s 32nd member, joining neighbor Finland, which signed up in April.
New Military Boosts for Ukraine and Threats from Moscow
The summit also sealed a major military package, with 11 countries teaming up to train Ukrainian pilots on US-made F-16 jets. A training centre will open in Romania this August, following Washington’s green light for western nations to supply advanced fighter aircraft.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu hit back, warning that if the US equips Ukraine with cluster munitions, Russia would deploy similar banned weapons – notorious for their harm to civilians. Both sides have already been accused of using these controversial munitions amid the conflict.
With tensions simmering and promises vague, Ukraine’s NATO dream remains in the balance as the war rages on.
