NATO recommendations for Ukraine to join the Alliance - Stoltenberg gave details
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (Photo: Getty Images)
NATO foreign ministers, during a meeting in Brussels on November 29, provided Ukraine with recommendations for initial reforms for joining the Alliance, according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during a press conference in Brussels.
"We discussed Ukraine's path to NATO membership. We have provided recommendations on Ukraine's priority reforms, including the fight against corruption, strengthening the rule of law, and supporting human rights and minority rights. Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before. We will continue to support it on the path to membership. We will support Ukraine's fight for freedom," said Stoltenberg.
The NATO Secretary-General emphasized that he is impressed by how Ukraine is conducting these reforms during Russia's full-scale invasion.
Stoltenberg explained that there have been specific changes in legislation and that changes are also taking place regarding security. He mentioned that Ukraine is in the process of modernizing its intelligence structures. Stoltenberg highlighted the significance of combating corruption and terrorism for Ukraine, emphasizing that it contributes to making the country stronger. According to him, these efforts not only enable Ukraine to fight against Russia as an aggressor but also assist in bringing the country closer to NATO.
According to him, one of the topics of today's meeting was how NATO member countries can cooperate with Ukraine on these issues.
"How we can use the NATO-Ukraine Council to ensure the full implementation. We have agreed on the work program and substructure and under commit this under the Ukraine Council to ensure that we follow up concretely on reforms for the modernization of Ukrainian society. Many of them have already been implemented, and this is an ongoing effort. We have seen the concrete steps from the Ukrainian authority in the fight against corruption, and decisions have been taken. So this is ongoing," added the NATO Secretary-General.
Stoltenberg also announced that NATO countries have approved an ambitious work program for next year to assist Ukraine.
He mentioned that this involves energy security, innovation, and cooperation. Stoltenberg stated that they also discussed the situation on the ground. He indicated that they are currently converting NATO's comprehensive assistance package into a multi-year assistance program, with the aim of helping Ukraine transition from Soviet times to NATO equipment and standards. Stoltenberg emphasized the goal of making Ukrainian forces fully compatible with NATO forces.
Ukraine-NATO Council
Recall that the Ukraine-NATO Council was established following the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023. The first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council of Foreign Ministers will take place on November 28-29.
As previously stated by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, the foreign ministers of NATO countries at the meeting will provide recommendations to Ukraine on reforms for joining the Alliance.
Ukraine's NATO Membership
Ukraine expected to receive an invitation to join NATO at the summit in Vilnius this summer. Kyiv understood that it would only have the opportunity to join the North Atlantic Alliance after the end of the war but wanted to receive a kind of political signal from its allies.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg recently stated that Ukraine will receive an invitation when "all allies agree, and the conditions are met."
In particular, during the summit, NATO member countries agreed that Ukraine would be able to join the Alliance without a Membership Action Plan through a somewhat simplified procedure.
