Ukraine’s Renewed Push for NATO Membership #

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has urged for Kyiv’s invitation to join the Western military alliance at an upcoming meeting in Brussels. This appeal is part of a broader “victory plan” to end the conflict spurred by Russia’s ongoing invasion since 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that granting Ukraine NATO membership could resolve the “hot stage” of the war, provided Russia retains control of certain territories temporarily. Although Ukraine acknowledges it can’t join the alliance while the war persists, extending an invitation now would show Russian President Vladimir Putin that one of his main objectives—preventing Ukraine from joining NATO—remains unachieved.

The invitation, Sybiha emphasized, should not be viewed as an escalation. Instead, it should indicate that Russia’s arguments for continuing the war are futile if Ukraine’s membership in NATO is inevitable. He urged that Ukraine be invited to join the alliance during the NATO Foreign Ministerial Meeting scheduled for 3-4 December 2024.

Zelenskyy argued that NATO membership should initially cover the region controlled by Kyiv. “No one has offered us to be in NATO for one part or another part of Ukraine. The fact is, it is a solution to stop the hot stage of the war because we can just give NATO membership to the part of Ukraine that is under our control. But the invitation must be given to Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders,” he said.

Yet, there is a lack of consensus among NATO members to invite Ukraine at this juncture. Although NATO has declared that Ukraine will join and follows an “irreversible” path to membership, formal invitations or timelines are still pending.

Amidst ongoing conflict escalations, including North Korean troop involvement, Ukraine has delivered strong political signals by communicating that the invitation remains on the table despite varied opinions. However, changes in stance among NATO countries remain unseen, especially as they await the U.S. policy under the incoming administration.