Biden's National Security Adviser: Ukraine’s Future Is in NATO
Joining the alliance now, however, is not an option, Sullivan adds
Although allies have not given President Volodymyr Zelensky the specifics on entry he's been seeking, Ukraine will be welcomed into NATO at some point.
That's according to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
The Ukrainian leader went into last week's NATO summit in Lithuania with much more specific demands for his country's entrance into the transatlantic alliance while it continues to fight back against Russia's ongoing invasion.
Although not now, Ukraine will someday take its place under NATO’s historic security umbrella, Sullivan told ABC News host George Stephanopoulos Sunday.
“What we said in the communique is that Ukraine’s future is in NATO, period, full stop. No qualifications. No negotiations with anyone. It is going to happen,” Sullivan said. “There are two elements to this, George. One, having Ukraine come into NATO while the war is going on would mean that NATO was at war with Russia. It would mean the United States was at war with Russia. And neither NATO nor the United States were prepared to do that.
“Second, every country that wants to come into NATO has to make certain democratic reforms in order to meet NATO standards,” he added. “Ukraine has made a lot of progress on that pathway. It has more reforms to make, and we are working through with Ukraine, the nature of those reforms, which it itself has embraced as necessary for its democratic future.
“So, there is a good conversation going on between Ukraine and NATO. There was a great conversation between President Biden and President Zelensky, and I think we have an excellent understanding,” Sullivan said.
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