The Ukrainian government is asking for formal NATO membership to be established before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office in January, according to a report by Reuters.
“An invitation now would send a powerful political signal,” Ukraine’s NATO ambassador, Nataliia Galibarenko, told the news outlet. “We believe it could be a significant part of this administration’s legacy.”
Galibarenko’s views were echoed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who presented a “victory plan” to his parliament on Wednesday, outlining strategies for resolving his country’s ongoing conflict with Russia. At the heart of this multifaceted proposal was the request to join the defense alliance as well as the European Union as soon as possible.
Kiev expressed its intention to align with NATO in 2002, 11 years after it gained independence from the Soviet Union. Since that time, other NATO constituent states have been hesitant to endorse its admission, fearing it might provoke the Kremlin, particularly in light of Moscow's aggressive military posturing in recent years.
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