NATO’s refusal to keep its promise to accept Ukraine would be a blow to Alliance’s reputation - Nausėda
Photo: President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda (Getty Images)
If NATO does not fulfill its promise to Ukraine regarding membership, it will be a serious blow to the Alliance’s reputation, states the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, according to LRT.
Nausėda noted that at the last three summits, Alliance members "clearly reinforced the text on Ukraine’s NATO prospects."
"Now, to just take it and remove it all away, well, that would hurt NATO’s credibility very badly. That would be a huge blow to NATO’s reputation," he said.
The President of Lithuania emphasized that Ukraine must be invited to the NATO summit in The Hague in June in order to have the opportunity to present its position on these issues.
Ukraine’s accession to NATO
During the full-scale war, Ukraine took a step toward NATO membership by submitting an accelerated membership application to the Alliance in the fall of 2022.
Ukraine insisted on the need for a political decision that would include a clear timeline for the country’s accession to NATO. However, Alliance members have not yet made such a decision.
NATO emphasizes that the "doors are open" to Ukraine, but accession during wartime is impossible.
Additionally, former US President Donald Trump rejected the possibility of Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance.
And the Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, called Ukraine’s NATO membership unrealistic as a possible security guarantee to end the war.
