Ukraine Pushes for NATO Invitation at Upcoming Ministerial Meeting

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Brussels, Belgium – Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has called on NATO to issue an official invitation for Ukraine’s membership during the alliance's foreign ministers’ meeting next week, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. This request is part of Ukraine's renewed efforts to secure NATO membership, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outlined as part of a broader "victory plan" to end the ongoing conflict with Russia. While acknowledging that Ukraine cannot officially join NATO until the war with Russia is over, Sybiha emphasized that issuing an invitation now would send a strong message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling that one of his key objectives – preventing Ukraine from becoming a NATO member – has failed.NATO has affirmed that Ukraine is on an "irreversible" path toward membership but has yet to extend a formal invitation or set a timeline for accession. The alliance's 32 member states would need unanimous consent to approve Ukraine’s membership, and NATO diplomats have noted that there is no consensus on inviting Ukraine at this stage.

In his letter, Sybiha urged NATO members to take decisive action. "We believe that the invitation should be extended at this stage," Sybiha wrote. He further pointed out that Russia's ongoing escalation of the war, including the involvement of North Korean troops and the testing of new weapons in Ukraine, underlines the urgency of NATO's response. Sybiha concluded by calling for the invitation to be issued as a key outcome of the NATO Foreign Ministerial Meeting on December 3-4, 2024. This marks another significant step in Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts as it seeks stronger ties with the Western military alliance amid its ongoing struggle against Russian aggression.