Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has urged his NATO counterparts to issue an invitation at a meeting in Brussels next week to Kyiv to join the Western military alliance, according to the text of a letter seen by Reuters on Friday.
The letter reflects Ukraine's renewed push to secure an invitation to join NATO, which is part of a "victory plan" outlined last month by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to end the war triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion.
Ukraine says it accepts that it cannot join the alliance until the war is over but extending an invitation now would show Russian President Vladimir Putin that he could not achieve one of his main goals - preventing Kyiv from becoming a NATO member.
"The invitation should not be seen as an escalation," Sybiha wrote in the letter.
"On the contrary, with a clear understanding that Ukraine's membership in NATO is inevitable, Russia will lose one of its main arguments for continuing this unjustified war," he wrote.
"I urge you to endorse the decision to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance as one of the outcomes of the NATO Foreign Ministerial Meeting on 3-4 December 2024."
NATO diplomats say there is no consensus among alliance members to invite Ukraine at this stage. Any such decision would require the consent of all NATO's 32 member countries.
NATO has declared that Ukraine will join the alliance and that it is on an "irreversible" path to membership. But it has not issued a formal invitation or set out a timeline.
Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine's deputy prime minister in charge of NATO affairs, said Kyiv understood that the consensus for an invitation to join NATO "is not yet there" but the letter was meant to send a strong political signal.
"We have sent a message to the allies that invitation is not off of the table, regardless of different manipulations and speculations around that," she told Reuters.
In his letter, Sybiha argued an invitation would be the right response "to Russia's constant escalation of the war it has unleashed, the latest demonstration of which is the involvement of tens of thousands of North Korean troops and the use of Ukraine as a testing ground for new weapons".
In recent days, however, diplomats have said they do not see any changes of stance among NATO countries, particularly as they await the Ukraine policy of the United States - the alliance's dominant power - under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
32 Comments
JJE
Here is the riot act:
The European invasion routes onto the steppes of Russia shall remain neutral. Any offensive entity gets an Iskander welcome - and more.
Blacklabel
Not happening.
get to the negotiation table to stop the war.
JJE
Only a village fool entertains this prospect:
Russia will react harshly to stop it.
European stocks of money and munitions are empty.
US stocks are low too.
And they have other priorities (and paying customers too).
Moscow will Article 5 them - should the threats increase.
Widely known this is a rudderless administration. Don't poke.
plasticmonkey
How dare Ukrainians attempt to defend their own sovereignty! How dare they!
Blacklabel
What part is “their own”?
Fighting with our money our weapons and lost. and now begging protection from our NATO.
So our children can die for them too?
wallace
Ukraine's NATO membership 20 years later is an answer to the aggression of Putin. NATO troops will not be fighting in Ukraine.
ok1517
Let Ukraine join NATO!
The sooner, the better!
They are already protecting Europe and the free world against Putain's marauders!
In addition this would finally show Putain the red lines, he's always talking about!
Remember, we still have not been nuked despite his, Madvedev's and Laugrov's threats!
Primusinter
TG channel INSIDER-T
"Kremlin sources said that Russia would never agree to the condition of ending the conflict, which includes Ukraine's membership in NATO in any territorial composition. This issue is fundamental and not subject to discussion, and all Zelensky's attempts to manipulate the topic with the Alliance are necessary to create conditions for the conflict."
Blacklabel
is this “winning”? That they hadn’t nuked us (yet)?
Primusinter
what is it Laugrov, I don't know. but can answer..You have not been nuked only because of Putin's patience. In addition, Russia has many other non-nuclear weapons that wipe everything out into dust. Russia can do without nuclear weapons. Putin said today about the Oreshnik: the distance is more than 5000km, the speed is 10 mach, the temperature at the point of impact is 4000 degrees, almost like on the surface of the sun. Just take note.
wallace
In a speech yesterday Putin's legs were shaking badly.
wallace
Russia has canceled all currency purchases until the end of December 2024. This decision was taken after the collapse in the value of the Russian Ruble on Wednesday, November 27th, which was directly due to the additional sanctions applied on November 21st.
Burgerland
How dare Ukrainians attempt to defend their own sovereignty! How dare they!'
Ukraine has put up a valiant fight but this is an unwinnable war for them. They need to have peace talks with Russia as soon as possible. They are running out of manpower and drafting more 18 year old boys to fight/ die for D.C/ NATO geopolitical goals , as the Biden admin is urging Zelensky to do this week, is not the answer.
Primusinter
The minimal conditions satisfying the Russian side are:
– Securing the returned territories for Russia;
– Depriving Ukraine of any chance to join NATO;
– Complete cessation of financing of Ukraine.
I am sure that the Ukrainian and pro-Ukrainian side, including the Tramp's team, will not be satisfied with it. Trump promised Zel that he would like the conditions of peace. And he definitely doesn't like these conditions. So... Russia continues to move towards the West at the front. And while you decide to agree or not, Russians will take Odessa. There will be no other solution to the conflict.
HopeSpringsEternal
Ukraine NATO Membership anytime soon not realistic, as too many existing NATO Members oppose, like Hungary, Slovakia and likely Italy etc. Many more countries quietly oppose, But why?
Because the voters in these countries do not want to take on a High-Risk new Member which would have only just ceased hostilities with Russia. Super high risk, as the cease fire and negotiated peace could easily fail.
Thus, NATO members are divided, not to mention Putin on this quest for Ukraine NATO Membership. Best case, long-term conditions-based path to NATO Membership.
Finding most appropriate way to help guaranty Ukraine's security is fundamental, seems an international peacekeeping force could be used for example within a newly created buffer zone.
Trump will integrate creative ways to create carrots and sticks for all parties in order to maintain the peace and rebuild prosperity in Ukraine with the objective of slowly work towards long-term reconciliation with Russia etc.
Let's not forget Germany's just made up with all their European neighbors Post WWII in relatively short order!
HopeSpringsEternal
What most don't understand about Russia is they've become FAR richer since this war started. But why?
Because the $ and thus all currencies buy FAR less in real assets than prior to the war. The dollar for example buys only about 40% as much of any broad-based commodities index vs. just 4 years ago.
It's not Russia getting poorer but rather the west, especially Japan. Plus, debt levels in the west have skyrocketed. Russia has essentially almost no sovereign debt. Russia's economy will grow almost 4% this year.
Big reason this war is ending is economic, see above, let's not forget the BRICS is booming. Turns out nobody trusts currencies in times of war, the BRICS have a de-dollarization agenda and LOTS of new Members!
ok1517
Primus,
sorry, that darned keyboard again.
It should've been Laugh-row!!
And one more, minor editing:
"The minimal conditions satisfying the Ukrainian side are:
– Securing to return illegally occupied territories Ukraine;
– Ukraine joining NATO;
– Complete transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine"
There you go. Piece of cake!!
Oh, and by the way
Ukraine prevails (to all those who still got doubts!)
Primusinter
You are a little behind the times... This way of talking to Russia no longer works. But it's interesting to hear what will Zel di... By the way, do you still remember that he is expired? He's nobody now...you can ignore it, but what does the Russian side think about it?
Primusinter
ok1517....There are 18 or 20 million people left in Ukraine out of 54 million initially..What prevalence are you talking about? At least you would tell what you mean.. Now the mobilization age will be lowered to 18 years at Biden's suggestion and... will these children fight and win??? Are you OK?
HopeSpringsEternal
FYI, General Keith Kellogg is a great choice to head up this peace/settlement/ceasefire negotiation. Clearly a good man who recognizes the battlefield reality.
Upcoming Sec. State Rubio and National Security Adviser Waltz are also realists, they've evolved their position from pro Ukraine to the recognition that Ukraine has no path to victory, only failed state status.
Russia war machine is going crazy and becoming very skilled while Ukraine's unable to recruit sufficiently, having lost most of skilled war fighters already.
Russia's reclaiming record territory in the east right NOW
Burgerland
The reason Ukraine is fighting is to preserve its own survival. They aren't fighting for NATO or Neocons or any other of your other weird coping fantasies.'
Predictable post by the those who believe evil Putin woke up one day and decided to invade Ukraine for no other reason than to wipe it off the map. Long term geopolitical plans to weaken and defeat Russia are a fact not coping fantasies ( despite what your favorite propaganda media tells you to believe ). Ukraine now needs peace not drafting more 18 year old boys to fight / die as the Biden admin is urging it to do.
HopeSpringsEternal
Again, sustained purchasing power collapse of the $ in real assets due to this war is what's driving this rush towards peace.
Inflation this war has caused has been VERY politically expensive for the west = TRUMP re-election, political re-alignment of Europe etc.
You really think given above NATO Membership in the cards for Ukraine? Russia is happy with the status-quo, any talk of Membership means the war continues.
ok1517
Primus,
I don't know where you got your numbers, but unbiased statistics show this:
2024 38,316,923
2022 41,048,766
Comparing f.ex. with Japan, not that much of a difference, right?
2024 123,753,041
2022 124,997,578
You should really consider avoiding fake information spreading!
(All data from 29 November 2024!)
ClippetyClop
And yet when asked to identify who these nameless Neocon ghosts are or how and why they have been trying to defeat Russia for decades you are completely unable to do it.
We get it; you are ashamed of supporting Putin’s invasion and need to blame it on some faceless bogeyman to help you cope.
The feeble minded will go to great lengths to find a way to cope.
stormcrow
With Musk whispering in his ear, expect Trump to give Putin everything he wants.
Burgerland
The feeble minded will go to great lengths to find a way to cope.
That wisdom may hold some truth in it but no need to look in the mirror all the time. If you research a little you will find enough written on the war hawks long term geopolitical strategic goals regarding Russia. Not everything is as simple as ' Putin suddenly invaded Ukraine just because he is an imperialist dictator '
Antiquesaving
Zelenski is now desperate, Washington out going administration is now desperate pushing the 18 year old daft age.
Zelenski is hoping to go to try and get at least some NATO members to send troops.
Since the election news that has been buried is now coming out.
AP in April had an article trying to claim Russia had a problem with desertion.
Now yesterday they published an article on Ukraine desertion something they avoided in the April article.
The situation is 10 times or more worse in Ukraine than Russia according to AP.
Russia has many that fled the country, Ukraine has had more, Russia prosecuted nearly 8,000 for desertion Ukraine has prosecuted over 100,000 and has an estimated 200,000 deserters not including those avoiding the draft after fleeing the country.
So Zelenski is now desperately trying anything including trying to get NATO troops involved.
https://apnews.com/article/deserters-awol-ukraine-russia-war-def676562552d42bc5d593363c9e5ea0
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump's assembling a team designed to pivot away from the Biden Admin's globalist and NEOCON top heavy bent that sought for years to push NATO eastward.
Putin gets it, so above will be key to balanced approach regarding settling this matter and sustaining the peace.
As I wrote above, NATO Membership for Ukraine in short term not realistic or balanced, because heavily arming of Ukraine by Biden Admin in 2021 and turning Ukraine into a NATO proxy partner is what triggered this madness.
HopeSpringsEternal
Finally, besides the economics and battlefield conditions discussed above, the other key reason this Ukraine folly is rapidly winding-down? Iran.
Ukraine war's fueling Russia Iran axis, both economic and weapons proliferation. The same is true of NK, but Iran is clearly the Trump focus, not little rocket man.
This territorial war must be stopped in order to address the real strategic threat Iran poses to the US and others. NATO Membership for Ukraine makes this impossible.
HopeSpringsEternal
The Globalists and NEOCONS are more than ok with proxy wars, should be utterly obvious to all. Demand their kids to get on the frontlines and maybe not!
falseflagsteve
It’s almost over now. Zelensky has agreed to cede land as part of a peace deal. However he insists on joining NATO as part of it, something that won’t happen. This shows he is resigned to land loss, something he repeatedly said he would never do.
ClippetyClop
Prove it!
Who, how, when? You have nothing, just an illogical and unproven cope.
We know why Putin invaded Ukraine. We know because he told us and has already done it TWICE before!
Why you or other western Vatniks support his constant warring is something we may never know.