France now supports Ukraine's NATO membership in order to influence Russia – media
The French authorities have decided to support Ukraine's membership of the North Atlantic Alliance following the model of Poland and the Baltic states, abandoning a more cautious position in order to increase pressure on Russia.
Source: Le Monde; European Pravda
Details: According to Le Monde, at a recent meeting of the Defence Council in the Elysée Palace on 12 June, the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO was considered "as an independent security guarantee".
"This could discourage Russia from continuing the war or, should the conflict come to an end, prevent any further aggression," Le Monde said, explaining the logic of the French authorities.
In addition, Paris believes that hinting at the prospect of Ukraine's NATO membership could simultaneously convince Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to start negotiations with Russia when he decides the time is right.
The change in France's position, which Le Monde calls an "overture", means it is moving closer to the positions advocated by Central European countries, most of which – especially Poland and the Baltic states – are staunch supporters of Ukraine's accession to NATO.
"France's position is now closer to Poland's than Germany's," a foreign diplomat confirmed on condition of anonymity in a conversation with Le Monde.
Germany and, in particular, the United States, on the other hand, consider it inappropriate to discuss Ukraine's membership of NATO until the war with Russia is over.
Previously, Natalia Halibarenko, Ukraine's ambassador to the North Atlantic Alliance, said she believed that the Vilnius NATO summit should offer Kyiv a certain commitment or guarantee of future membership.
According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the issue of formally inviting Ukraine to the Alliance will not be considered at the summit in Vilnius.
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