From: Business Insider By Cameron Manley,
- Biden has rejected Ukraine’s NATO membership bid as part of a peace agreement.
- It would weaken Biden’s reelection chances, a foreign policy expert said.
- Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be perceived as an escalation by Russia.
US President Joe Biden appears to have drawn a line beneath Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership.
In an interview with Time Magazine this week, the US president said he was not prepared to support the “NATOization of Ukraine,” adding that he had witnessed “significant corruption” in Ukraine when he visited as vice president.
“Peace,” Biden said, “doesn’t mean NATO.”
Rather, a part of the condition for peace in Ukraine was building relations with Kyiv, including security guarantees which would lead to a situation “where we supply weapons so they can defend themselves in the future.”
Biden said, “Peace looks like making sure Russia never, never, never, never occupies Ukraine.”
It comes as a blow to Ukrainian officials who have consistently pushed for a swift entry to NATO after the war’s conclusion.
Earlier this week, a report by the Financial Times revealed that Ukraine’s lack of progress toward NATO membership was a key issue creating tension in US-Ukrainian relations.
Ukrainian hopes are now pinned on the NATO meeting in Washington, scheduled for July 9-11, to bring a more definite signal for Ukraine’s post-war membership.
Voice of Ukraine 