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Biden says Ukraine not ready for NATO membership in the middle of war with Russia

Biden says Ukraine not ready for NATO membership in the middle of war with Russia

US President Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden said that war-ravaged Ukraine is not ready to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an intergovernmental military alliance of countries from Europe and North America. However, Biden also said that the US and other allies will continue to provide Ukrainian forces with the security and weaponry needed for the Russia-Ukraine war, which was started last year in February.

During an interview with CNN published on Sunday (July 9), Biden said, "I don't think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war."

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"For example, if you did that, then, you know – and I mean what I say – we're determined to commit every inch of territory that is NATO territory. It's a commitment that we've all made no matter what. If the war is going on, then we're all in war. We're at war with Russia, if that were the case," Biden added.

The US president further said, "I think we have to lay out a rational path for Ukraine to be able to qualify to be able to get into NATO." Biden also noted that he refused Putin's demands before the war for a commitment not to admit Ukraine because the alliance has "an open-door policy".

"But I think it’s premature to say, to call for a vote, you know, in now, because there are other qualifications that need to be met, including democratisation and some of those issues," Biden added.

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On Sunday night, Biden landed in London to start a crucial three-nation trip that will include a NATO summit in Lithuania. The NATO gathering will aim at showing solidarity with Ukraine in its fight against Russia, but not yet accepting Kyiv as a member of the defence alliance.

Biden is scheduled to meet British monarch King Charles III and Prime Minster Rishi Sunak to deepen ties and discuss issues of mutual interest, including Ukraine and climate change.

Ukraine wishes for 'best possible result' from NATO summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said that he hopes for the "best possible result" from an upcoming NATO summit and also a clear signal should be there to highlight whether or not the nationcould one day join the alliance.

Zelensky met with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda and discussed the NATO summit. They agreed to "work together to get the best possible result for Ukraine". The summit opens on Tuesday in Vilnius.

(With inputs from agencies)

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