NATO must define the conditions for Ukraine to join at this summer's summit - former NATO Secretary General

NATO should invite Ukraine to join at this summer's NATO Summit in Washington, USA, said former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported.

Rasmussen heads the international working group on security and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine.

"We should instruct the NATO-Ukraine Council to define the specific conditions that must be met for Ukraine to join NATO," he said.

"This is not equivalent to Ukraine joining NATO overnight, but it is an invitation to start accession negotiations."

The argument that Ukraine cannot be invited to NATO while the war with Russia continues should be rejected, because it only contributes to the prolongation of the war, he said.

Read also: Ukraine's NATO entry and strengthening Ukraine - what Poland hopes to see at July's NATO Summit

"If you accept this argument, you will de facto give Putin an incentive to continue the war in order to avoid Ukraine's membership in NATO," he said.

"That's why we have to break this argument. Therefore, I also believe that the invitation to start accession negotiations in this way will pave the way for peace."

He also recommended two more proposals to Ukraine's partners:

• To remove all restrictions on the supply of weapons

• To create an air defense system on NATO territory along the borders of Ukraine to shoot down Russian missiles and drones

Read also: NATO ally Poland again scrambles fighter jets as Russia launches latest mass attack on Western Ukraine

NATO Summit in Washington

NATO will hold its 7th anniversary summer from July 9-11 in Washington, DC.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in January that he hoped for two decisions at the summit: the transfer of new air defense systems and concrete steps toward Ukraine's membership in NATO.

Read also: NATO Secretary General holds secret talks with German Foreign Minister on European security and Ukraine — report

The last NATO Summit was held from July 11-12, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Leaders from the 31 NATO members, as well as delegations from Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Ukraine, and Sweden, attended.

“Ukraine will become a NATO member without a MAP (Membership Action Plan - ed.) and will receive an invitation when allies agree and 'conditions are met'," said NATO Secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, on July 11.

At the same time, Stoltenberg said that he doubts that Ukraine will be invited to join NATO at this summer's summit.

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