Ukraine gets NATO reality check from US — RT World News

Ukraine is unlikely to be invited to join NATO this year, despite repeated promises last year of full membership, Washington's ambassador to the alliance said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of the US military bloc's defense ministers this week, Julianne Smith was asked what to expect from this summer's NATO summit in Washington.

Kiev formally submitted an application to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the fall of 2022, after stipulating joining the transatlantic alliance in its constitution in 2019, and describing it as a strategic foreign policy goal.

Smith reiterated the official position that “Ukraine's future in NATO” He stressed that NATO continues to focus on supporting Kiev and ensuring its ability to do so “Prevail on the battlefield” In its conflict with Russia.

However, she warned: He added: “As for the summit this summer, I do not expect the alliance to issue an invitation at this juncture.” Smith said she expected a commitment from member states to do so “Getting closer to Ukraine, and that we are taking concrete steps to serve as a bridge between where we are now and that full membership.”

“We will all continue our support [Ukraine] “As long as it takes” The diplomat confirmed.

Last week, Britain's NATO envoy, David Quarry, warned that Kiev should not expect major progress in its bid to join NATO in the near future. Speaking to Politico, he claimed that Kiev is “Getting close all the time” but this “Situation on the ground” Prevents any “big leaps” Towards membership.

According to a report published by Foreign Policy magazine in January, citing dozens of anonymous officials, neither Washington nor Berlin currently wants Kiev to join the bloc, for fear of a possible direct confrontation with Moscow. Some NATO member states, especially Hungary and Slovakia, have expressed such concerns.

Meanwhile, Moscow has repeatedly criticized any prospects of Ukraine becoming a member of the US-led bloc, with President Vladimir Putin citing Kiev's attempts to join NATO, which has been expanding towards Russia's borders since the end of the Cold War, as a key factor. The reason for launching the military operation against Ukraine.