Ukraine’s quest to join NATO differs from Sweden, Finland – Stoltenberg
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik – October 19, 2022) The situation for Ukraine, which aspires to become a member of NATO, is different from that of Finland and Sweden, which are long-term partners in the alliance, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.
“I strongly believe that Ukraine is in a different position than Finland and Sweden. Finland and Sweden are long-term partners of NATO, we have a consensus in the alliance to invite them to become members… What we see in Ukraine is a war is going on and a top priority is therefore to provide military support to Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said, answering the question of whether he supports a quick acceptance of Ukraine to NATO.
The official stated that the alliance’s doors remain open to all, but the current priority is to ensure that Ukraine wins the conflict.
“The priority now is to provide support to Ukraine to enable them to make more gains on the battlefield and then we can ensure that the war ends in a way that ensures that Ukraine remains a sovereign independent nation in Europe. That is a prerequisite for all discussions on NATO membership,” Stoltenberg said.
In late September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is applying for fast-track membership in NATO, following the Russian accession referendums in the Donbass, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Kiev’s application for accelerated NATO membership has put the US and the West in an awkward situation, where it would be embarrassing for them to refuse Ukraine.