No quick invitation

Selensky’s “victory plan”: NATO cautious

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj is determined to bring his country into NATO. For him, this means a security guarantee against Russia.

(Bild: APA/AP)

A central point of the "victory plan" drawn up by the Ukrainian leadership is the invitation from NATO for Ukraine to join, "and now", as President Volodymyr Zelensky demands. However, the military alliance will not be pressured into a hasty enlargement.

At a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, the new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referred to the decisions made at the most recent NATO summit in Washington. At this summit, supporters of a quick invitation were unable to prevail against opponents such as the USA and Germany.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The only common denominator was a general assurance to Ukraine that it could no longer be stopped on its way into the defense alliance. At the same time, the summit declaration once again explicitly emphasized that a formal invitation to join could only be issued once all allies had agreed and all admission conditions had been met. These include reforms in the areas of democracy, the economy and the security sector.

NATO Secretary General: "Putin has no say"
Opponents of a NATO invitation to Ukraine also fear that such a step could lead to a further escalation of the war in Ukraine. However, Rutte emphasized on Wednesday that Russia and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin had no say or veto in the discussion.