Ukraine’s NATO membership isn’t likely during war – White House

Ukraine still has requirements to meet before it can possibly join NATO, according to White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby.

He pushed back against comments from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Tuesday criticizing NATO leaders over discussions on a path to NATO membership, CNN reports. 

We believe that NATO is in Ukraine's future. I mean, that's something that the alliance agreed way back in 2008," Kirby told CNN. "Now there's some reforms — good governance, rule of law, political reforms — that Ukraine needs to work on, and we understand it's hard to work on some of those reforms when you are at war. Of course, they are at war right now. So, NATO membership in the immediate future isn't likely because that would put NATO at war with Russia.

Kirby acknowledged frustration from Zelensky, who tweeted a scathing criticism of discussions over a potential path to NATO membership at this week's summit in Lithuania on Tuesday, writing, "Uncertainty is weakness."

Yes, there are frustrations, there are desires to end this war quickly, all of that we understand, Kirby said. "Of course, we share many of those concerns.

Ukraine applied to join NATO in September 2022. While acknowledging the country cannot enter the alliance before the war's end, Kyiv has repeatedly called for a "clear signal" on the membership from the allies during the upcoming summit.