When US President Joe Biden was asked whether he would ease barriers for Ukraine’s addition to NATO, he flatly said “no”, APA reports citing CNN.
“No. Because they gotta meet the same standards. So I’m not gonna make it easier,” he told reporters Saturday ahead of his departure to Philadelphia for his first official presidential campaign event.
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“I think they've done everything related to demonstrating the ability to coordinate militarily, but there's a whole issue of, is their system secure? Is it non-corrupt? Does it meet all the standards everyone, every other nation in NATO, does? I think it will. I think it can. But it’s not automatic,” he said.
CNN previously reported that Biden and his team are in the midst of a high-stakes conversation with fellow NATO members on how and when Ukraine may join – a debate that could expose strains in the alliance ahead of a key summit next month in Vilnius, Lithuania.
CNN reported Friday that a source familiar with the situation said Biden is comfortable with removing one of the hurdles for Ukraine to join NATO. According to the source, Biden would be willing to drop the Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Ukraine, which was described in a 2008 agreement as “the next step for Ukraine ... on their direct way to membership.” The MAP, characterized as “the program of advice, assistance and practical support tailored to the individual needs of countries wishing to join the Alliance,” is a process that other nations have had to undertake to join NATO.
Its removal would represent a small step in easing Ukraine’s accession into the defensive alliance. It is part of a proposal from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and was discussed when he met with Biden in Washington earlier this week, the source said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he understands that his country cannot become a member of NATO while it is still at war.
Source: Azeri-Press News Agency