While NATO is seeking to support Kiev in its fight with Russia, any serious talk about Ukraine joining the alliance will be possible only after the end of the conflict, the bloc’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
When asked at a joint press conference with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for his take on Ukraine’s NATO prospects, Stoltenberg reiterated that all members of the bloc agree that Kiev would eventually become part of the alliance, though he stopped short of providing any specific dates.
“The most urgent task now is to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign and independent nation in Europe. Because if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wins this war, then there is no membership issue to be discussed at all,” he noted.
Stoltenberg went on to say that Ukraine’s victory is “a precondition for any meaningful discussion about further membership,” adding that in the meantime NATO is trying to help Ukraine to achieve full interoperability with NATO forces and is enhancing political ties with Kiev.