Biden Also Draws the Line: "No Easing of Membership Barriers"
More Interest in Whether Sweden Can Join NATO
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), drew a clear line by stating that there will be no invitation for Ukraine's membership at the NATO summit scheduled for next month. Amid the prolonged war in Ukraine, this stance reiterates the intention to fundamentally block Ukraine's accession, which could potentially escalate the conflict with Russia. Instead, international attention is focused on the possibility of Sweden becoming the 32nd member of NATO, after its membership approval was once blocked due to opposition from T?rkiye and Hungary.
According to German local media including Deutsche Welle (DW) on the 19th (local time), Jens Stoltenberg visited Berlin, Germany, and during a joint press conference held after talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, he firmly stated, "There will be no official request for Ukraine's membership at the NATO summit." The NATO summit will be held over two days, on the 11th and 12th of next month, in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
While Western support for Ukraine will continue, Stoltenberg once again drew a line against the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO, which has been raised by some quarters. NATO has consistently refused Ukraine's membership, stating that Ukraine does not meet the conditions for early accession. This is interpreted as a caution against the risk of escalation between NATO and Russia if Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, were to join.
Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden also strongly indicated that early NATO membership for Ukraine is unlikely. At a press conference on the 17th, President Biden said, "Ukraine must meet the same standards as other member countries, and we will not make those standards easier," adding, "There are still issues such as whether Ukraine’s system is secure, free from corruption, and meets all the same standards as other NATO members."
Rather, international attention is focused on Sweden’s membership, which was previously blocked. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, Sweden, along with its neighboring country Finland, abandoned its long-standing policy of neutrality and officially declared its intention to join NATO. However, while Finland successfully became a NATO member in April this year, Sweden’s accession was blocked due to opposition from T?rkiye and Hungary.
As NATO and the European Union (EU) continue efforts to persuade T?rkiye and Hungary, if both countries withdraw their opposition at next month’s summit, Sweden is expected to become NATO’s 32nd member.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
