NATO countries are discussing concrete interim security measures to offer Ukraine.
Vilnius, Lithuania:
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said today that NATO would pave the way for reforms for Ukraine so that it could eventually join the alliance, but without specifying a “timetable.”
Mr Sullivan told reporters at a NATO summit in Vilnius that “a path to reform” would be drawn up for Ukraine, but “I can’t put a timetable on it”. He also announced that President Joe Biden would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday.
Mr Sullivan ruled out any immediate accession to Western-backed Ukraine, given the ongoing war against Russian aggression, saying it would “bring NATO into war with Russia.”
Citing “a lot of goodwill” for Ukraine’s ambition at the summit in Vilnius, Mr Sullivan said, “The question is, what’s the way out?”
“I think we can come to a good understanding,” he said.
Aside from the membership issue, NATO countries are discussing concrete interim security measures to offer Ukraine, beyond existing aid to help Kiev’s forces push back the Russians.
Mr Sullivan said it would be discussed during a meeting between President Biden and President Zelensky on Wednesday.
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