Risk of NATO disappointment for Ukraine at July summit

Ukraine's hopes for a more fixed path towards NATO membership may be disappointed, according to information obtained by dpa.

Members of the Western military alliance including the United States and Germany have recently made it clear behind closed doors that they do not want to make any commitments that go substantially beyond the vague NATO declaration from 2008.

At that time, the heads of state and government at the time agreed that Ukraine and Georgia should join NATO. However, there was no concrete timetable or roadmap.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had recently called on NATO to clear the way for his country's admission to the alliance at its next summit in July, saying Kiev should receive a "well-deserved invitation."

Ukrainian soldiers, Zelensky argued, were contributing more than any others to Euro-Atlantic security.

According to diplomats, however, opponents of a concrete membership plan argue that this goal is not realistic at present and could distract from the much more important and immediate military support for Ukraine as the country defends itself against the all-out Russian invasion.

Plus, there is perceived to be a risk that a new boost to NATO could provide Russia with arguments for more aggressive warfare.

On the occasion of NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg's visit to Kiev a fortnight ago, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine's accession to NATO would be "a serious, significant danger for our country."