Biden administration states NATO lacks consensus on inviting Ukraine to join

Officials in US President Joe Biden's administration have stated that there is currently no consensus among NATO members to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance, though the US is pushing for its partners to demonstrate the same urgency and level of contributions in supporting Ukraine as the United States.

Source: a senior official from the US administration during a briefing on Biden's upcoming visit to Germany, as reported by the White House

Quote: "There’s a discussion amongst NATO Allies about an invitation. There is no consensus at this time to offer Ukraine an invitation. But as you know, at the NATO Summit just, what, a couple months ago – in July, mid-July – all 32 Allies affirmed that Ukraine is on an irreversible path to membership. So the question is about the tactics of how to encourage that path and how to gain consensus on the next steps."

Details: The official stated that "President Biden wants Ukraine to win, and we're going to resource this effort appropriately". 

"That’s why the President called for this leaders-level meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, or what’s been called the Ramstein Summit – and that meeting will be held in the near future – to elicit the same sort of urgency and contributions from some of our allies and partners so that we can sustain this," he said.

The Biden administration representative also mentioned that there is an "active conversation about the different elements" of Ukraine's Victory Plan, specifically referencing work on issues related to minerals, though no details were provided. 

He stressed that the US wants Ukraine to win the war against Russia, adding that "there’s a lot at stake".

Quote: "The urgency of the moment is certainly appreciated, which is why the President is leading this effort to supply Ukraine with the equipment that it needs and to, frankly, take seriously all of the elements that are being proposed by the Ukrainians and to work with them on a strategy to secure their victory in this war. 

…Putin knows that time is not on his side, that time is, in fact, on Ukraine’s side, and that we will stand with Ukraine and give it what it needs to prevail."

Details: The official confirmed that on Friday, 18 October, Biden will meet in Germany with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Background:

• On 16 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented his Victory Plan to the Verkhovna Rada, which consists of five points and three secret appendices. 
• Notably, the first point of the plan is an immediate invitation for Ukraine to join NATO.
• US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said that NATO did not plan to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance "in the short term", despite this being the first point of the Victory Plan put forward by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Ukraine will join the Alliance as its 33rd or 34th member in the future.

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