Stand behind Ukrainian independent journalism when it’s needed most. Help us reach 20,000 members.

Skip to content
Edit post

At least 7 countries resisting Ukraine's NATO membership invitation, Politico reports

by Kateryna Denisova October 24, 2024 9:26 AM 2 min read
President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with former NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg on July 11, 2024, in Washington, U.S. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Editor's note: This story was updated with a comment by Ukraine's Presidential Office.

Belgium, Slovenia and Spain are among seven NATO countries reluctant to grant Ukraine an invitation to join NATO, Politico reported on Oct. 23, citing four anonymous U.S. and NATO officials and diplomats.

While Germany and the U.S. are already known to have reservations about the move, the outlet reported that Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain are "hiding behind" those two countries, and slow-walking President Volodymyr Zelensky's ongoing request.

In mid-October, Zelensky unveiled his five-point victory plan, which includes Kyiv's invitation to join NATO placed at the top of the list. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said on Oct. 17 that the alliance does not currently have such plans.

"Countries like Belgium, Slovenia or Spain are hiding behind the U.S. and Germany. They are reluctant," one of the NATO officials told Politico.

The nations "support it in the abstract, but once it gets closer to materializing" they will start to oppose the idea more publicly, they added.

Two other countries — Hungary and Slovakia — are not backing Ukraine's NATO membership due to their pro-Kremlin leanings, Politico reported.

Later on Oct.24 in a comment to Babel, presidential press secretary Serhii Nykyforov said Ukraine's invitation to NATO is supported by the absolute majority of member countries.

Zelensky said earlier this week that Germany has softened its stance on Ukraine's NATO membership, but remains "skeptical."

"But still, the U.S. will have an impact on this... We believe that they are consolidating their thoughts on NATO and this has an impact on, for example, Hungary and Slovakia," he said at a meeting with journalists, attended by the Kyiv Independent.

Kyiv submitted its application to join in September 2022, and in July 2024 the alliance affirmed Ukraine's "irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership" — though Ukraine has not received any definitive news about its future accession.

According to the information obtained by the Kyiv Independent, Kyiv had planned to ask for NATO membership within the months, not years.

Is NATO ready for war with Russia?
The launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 confronted the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a new geopolitical reality. Described as “braindead” by French President Emmanuel Macron only a few years prior, the alliance woke up to a threat previously thought c…

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?

Can we reach 20,000 members?

News Feed

11:51 PM

Trump 'very surprised, disappointed' at Russian attacks on Ukraine amid peace talks.

"I've gotten to see things I was very surprised at. Rockets being shot into cities like Kyiv during a negotiation that was maybe very close to ending," Trump said during a news conference in the Oval Office. "All of a sudden rockets got shot into a couple of cities and people died. I saw thing I was surprised at and I don't like being surprised, so I'm very disappointed in that way."
5:10 PM

All territory will revert to Ukraine, predicts US diplomat.

The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sits down with Michael Carpenter, former U.S. Ambassador to OSCE and senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, to discuss the current lagging U.S. military support for Ukraine amid the ongoing ceasefire talks with Russia. Carpenter also offers his predictions for the future of Ukraine’s occupied territories.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.