Ukraine urges NATO invitation before Biden departs presidency – Ambassador Halibarenko
Ukraine seeks an invitation to join NATO through diplomatic channels, even before Joe Biden steps down as US president.
The Ukrainian ambassador to NATO, Nataliia Halibarenko, stated this in an interview with the Reuters agency.
A high-ranking Ukrainian diplomat claims such a decision will be a worthy legacy for President Biden.
"We believe that the invitation to Ukraine is currently a political signal. We sincerely believe that it can become part of the legacy of the current American administration," the diplomat said.
Russia justified its war by using Ukraine's potential membership in NATO as propaganda. Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Ukrainian officials argued that joining the alliance is necessary to protect against possible Russian aggression.
Halibarenko said inviting Ukraine to NATO would eliminate the "main bone of contention" between Kyiv and Moscow.
"If we say that there is an invitation [for Ukraine – ed.], for the Russian Federation, it will be like a final verdict — that's all, and you can no longer raise the stakes using this topic," the diplomat said.
Halibarenko also stated that official Kyiv does not insist on the immediate start of negotiations on membership, but an official invitation already now "will be a powerful signal."
When asked when Ukraine would prefer to receive an invitation, she responded: "The sooner, the better."
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According to journalists, the presidential election in the United States, which will be held on November 5, 2024, creates grave uncertainty for Ukraine since official Washington is the largest provider of military aid to official Kyiv in its Russian-Ukrainian war.
It's worth mentioning that the NATO new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and bringing it closer to membership in the Alliance.
