U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated Ukraine's "irreversible path" to NATO membership during a news conference on Feb. 13, just days after the United States declared that Ukraine's accession to NATO was not a "realistic outcome" of peace negotiations.
"My position is the NATO position," Starmer told reporters. "This was discussed at the summit that we had last year in Washington, where it was agreed amongst all NATO members that there should be an irreversible path of Ukraine to NATO membership."
Starmer's comments come amid U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth comments on Feb. 12 that it is unrealistic to expect that Ukraine can restore its 2014 borders in any negotiations, and that NATO membership was effectively off the table.
During a speech at the Ramstein summit, Hegseth said that the U.S. also wants to see Ukraine as "sovereign and prosperous," but that "we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective."
When asked by reporters if the U.K. would change course on Ukraine's NATO membership in light of the U.S. position, Starmer was definitive in his response.
"No, obviously nobody was expecting (Ukraine's NATO membership) to be immediate. It was a pathway over time. But what matters most, I think, is that we stand by Ukraine."
In July 2024, the alliance affirmed Ukraine's "irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership." NATO allies also emphasized that decisions made during the summit and the NATO-Ukraine Council, as well as the Allies’ ongoing work, constitute a bridge to Ukraine’s membership in NATO.
Earlier in the day, Reform UK Party leader Nigel Farage, a staunch Trump ally, echoed sentiments about Ukraine's NATO membership, stating that it was "probably essential" that Ukraine join the military alliance.
Various European officials previously expressed disappointment at Hegseth's comments.
Estonian politician Marko Mihkelson expressed his concern, saying, "Today might go down in history as a dark day for Europe," urging European leaders to recognize the importance of taking action now.
Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, reaffirmed Ukraine’s territorial integrity, declaring, "Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity are unconditional." She stressed the need for Europe to play a central role in strengthening Ukraine and providing robust security guarantees in any negotiations.
Asami Terajima
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