NATO chief says no timetable set for Ukraine membership after Zelensky criticism

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg affirmed Tuesday that Ukraine will join the alliance “when conditions are met” but declined to offer a timeline for Kyiv’s membership.

Stoltenberg pushed back against criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said refusing to provide a concrete path for NATO membership is emboldening Russia.

“What allies have agreed today is a strong, united and positive message to Ukraine about enduring support but also a positive message on the path forward for membership,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference at a NATO summit in, Lithuania.

“We also made it clear that the invitation will be issued when conditions are met.”

NATO leaders also published an official text Tuesday that includes the promise of a multiyear nonlethal assistance to Ukraine, the establishment of a NATO-Ukraine Council and the removal of a key step toward the alliance, the Membership Action Plan (MAP).

The language in the communiqué says Ukraine’s “future is in NATO” and the alliance “will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when allies agree and conditions are met.”

Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukraine “deserves respect” and that by leaving it without an explicit line toward membership means Ukraine’s NATO accession could be caught up in negotiations with Moscow.

“It’s unprecedented and absurd when time frame is not set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine’s membership,” the Ukrainian leader tweeted.

Stoltenberg noted other steps to bring Ukraine closer to the western security alliance.

The NATO chief added the removal of the MAP — a series of political and military reforms to adhere to alliance standards that can take years to complete — eases the path toward future membership for Ukraine.

“What we have agreed is a very substantial package with many different elements that helps to move Ukraine closer to NATO,” Stoltenberg said. “That’s a practical way of moving Ukraine closer to NATO.”

“Then you are also sending a strong political message with the language,” he continued. “There’s never been a stronger message at any time.”

President Biden, who is set to meet with Zelensky one-on-one at the summit in Vilnius, has said Ukraine is not ready to join the alliance, noting long-held U.S. concerns about anti-corruption and democratic reforms.

Biden also has concerns about including Ukraine into NATO during the war with Russia, which could trigger an article that would pull allies directly into the conflict.