Ukraine was never promised NATO membership as part of peace deal, says Secretary General
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has emphasised that the Alliance’s commitment to Ukraine’s membership is not contingent on possible future "peace talks".
Source: European Pravda, citing Rutte during a press conference in Brussels
Quote: "It has never been agreed that whenever peace talks would start, that peace talks would end – anywhere and always and definitely – with NATO membership."
Details: Rutte recalled that NATO made commitments regarding Ukraine’s future membership at the Washington Summit.
He further stressed that regardless of the outcome of "peace talks", the Alliance must "make sure that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin will never ever try again to attack Ukraine," adding that such guarantees can take various forms.
"There has never been a promise to Ukraine that as part of a peace deal they would be in NATO," Rutte concluded.
Background:
- On 12 February, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine and said Europe must provide the overwhelming share of future lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine. He also stressed that US troops would not participate in any peacekeeping operation.
- In response, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov reiterated that Ukraine’s position on NATO membership remains unchanged.
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