“The arrangements made so far are absolutely insufficient, I hope that in a few years Ukraine will be a full member of the Alliance – said President Andrzej Duda, when asked before the beginning of the second day of the NATO summit in Vilnius whether he was satisfied with the arrangements regarding Ukraine. The president also added that he would convene the National Security Council after returning to the country.”
President Duda has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine’s bid to join NATO. He believes that Ukraine’s membership would strengthen the alliance and enhance regional security. Moreover, he has expressed his dissatisfaction with the current level of progress in this regard.
According to President Duda, the existing agreements regarding Ukraine’s integration into NATO are insufficient. He hopes that Ukraine will become a full member of the alliance in the coming years. However, this is subject to the consensus of all NATO member states.
“The arrangements made so far are absolutely insufficient, I hope that in a few years Ukraine will be a full member of the Alliance – said President Andrzej Duda, when asked before the beginning of the second day of the NATO summit in Vilnius whether he was satisfied with the arrangements regarding Ukraine.
Speaking about Ukraine’s joining NATO, the president assessed that “the admission of one more, great, huge European state to the Alliance, with such a large natural resource and a large army, hugely experienced in combat, will be a huge reinforcement in the future.”
When asked whether he believed that the arrangements made so far in this matter were sufficient, the president replied that “in his opinion, absolutely not.” “I hope that in a few years Ukraine will be a full member of the Alliance,” he added.
“We need unanimity to make these types of decisions as NATO. We need unanimity to be able to talk about Ukraine’s full membership in NATO right now and to be able to decide that Ukraine will be a member of NATO even tomorrow. All because there is a war going on and taking into account Art. 5 of the Alliance and collective defence, joining NATO is now not possible, he explained.
Recent Developments in Ukraine’s Bid to Join NATO
At the recent NATO summit in Vilnius, specific regulations regarding Ukraine’s integration into the alliance were agreed upon. These regulations include a three-point package for Ukraine.
Firstly, a long-term support program will be implemented to assist Ukraine in transitioning from post-Soviet standards to NATO standards. Secondly, a new NATO-Ukraine council will be established as a forum for consultation and decision-making. Finally, Ukraine’s membership in NATO will be confirmed, and an action plan will be introduced to change the accession process from a two-stage to a one-stage process.
The Benefits of Ukraine Joining NATO
If Ukraine were to join NATO, it would benefit from enhanced security and defense capabilities. It would also gain access to NATO’s resources and expertise, which would help it modernize its armed forces and improve its military capabilities. Additionally, NATO membership would signal to Russia that its aggressive actions in the region will not be tolerated.
Moreover, Ukraine’s integration into NATO would strengthen the alliance’s eastern flank and enhance regional security. It would also demonstrate NATO’s commitment to upholding its core values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Additional Information
- NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and is a political and military alliance of 30 European and North American countries.
- The two-stage process of accession refers to the Membership Action Plan (MAP) process, which involves a series of reforms and assessments before a country can become a full member of NATO. The one-stage process would involve a direct invitation to join the alliance.
