{"id":38480,"date":"2021-06-15T16:14:48","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T16:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/06\/15\/we-need-more-before-ukraine-can-join-nato-says-stoltenberg\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:00:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:00:43","slug":"we-need-more-before-ukraine-can-join-nato-says-stoltenberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/2021\/06\/15\/we-need-more-before-ukraine-can-join-nato-says-stoltenberg\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We need more\u2019 before Ukraine can join NATO, says Stoltenberg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2015 A day after Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted NATO leaders had \u201cconfirmed\u201d it would become a member, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made clear no such action was imminent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stoltenberg\u2019s remarks came a day after President Joe Biden refused to give a \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d to Ukraine joining NATO while at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/nato-priorities\/2021\/06\/13\/nato-to-look-eastward-and-inward-at-summit\/\" target=\"_blank\">the alliance\u2019s annual summit<\/a> in Brussels on Monday. Biden did say during a press conference that the U.S. and other NATO allies affirmed support for Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUkraine is an aspirant country,\u201d Stoltenberg told the Washington-based Defense Writers Group on Tuesday. \u201cWe provide support to them, especially to continue to modernize and refine their defense and security institutions, civilian-political control over their security services, and not least fighting corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He added: \u201cWe have different building-integrity programs, which are very much about how to fight corruption as part of the reforms &#8230; which Ukraine has already embarked on, but we need more. We need to do more with them to make sure they are fully implemented.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTo agree on the membership action plan, you need consensus among 30 allies. This was not the focus of this summit,\u201d Stoltenberg said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2021\/03\/17\/ukrainian-official-us-should-help-improve-air-defense-systems-air-assets\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6226367.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Ukraine should look to US for air defenses, improved air force, says former defense adviser<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Experts in both Kyiv and Washington are wondering if the Biden administration is willing to share with Ukraine&#039;s military.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Monday, the summit ended with the release of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/smr\/nato-priorities\/2021\/06\/14\/nato-leaders-declare-china-a-global-security-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\">joint communique<\/a> that reaffirmed NATO\u2019s 2008 decision for Ukraine to become a member through a membership action plan, or MAP \u2015 though there\u2019s no timetable mentioned. Meanwhile, Kyiv is working to adopt NATO-mandated reforms both to strengthen it against Russian interference and move it towards membership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ahead of a summit between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Geneva on Wednesday, Kyiv has appeared eager to interpret its interactions with Biden and NATO in its favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In its initial readout of a call between Zelenskyy and Biden, Zelenskyy\u2019s office claimed Biden emphasized the importance of offering Ukraine a specific roadmap for joining NATO. But it then changed that version to clarify it was Zelenskyy who pushed for providing Ukraine with a membership action plan; it said Biden promised that Kyiv\u2019s position will be taken into account when discussing strategic issues within NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCommend @NATO partners\u2019 understanding of all the risks and challenges we face,\u201d Zelenskyy said in a tweet. \u201cNATO leaders confirmed that [Ukraine] will become a member of the Alliance &amp; the #MAP is an integral part of the membership process. [Ukraine] deserves due appreciation of its role in ensuring Euro-Atlantic security.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4960\" height=\"3426\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21165401835795.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-77644\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21165401835795.jpg.jpg 4960w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21165401835795.jpg.jpg?resize=300,207 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21165401835795.jpg.jpg?resize=768,530 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21165401835795.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,707 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21165401835795.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1061 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP21165401835795.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1415 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4960px) 100vw, 4960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, speaks with U.S. President Joe Biden during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels on June 14, 2021. (Stephanie Lecocq\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Biden was asked Monday whether NATO had allowed Ukraine to join, he said it would depend on Ukraine\u2019s anti-corruption activities and its implementation of NATO\u2019s criteria to get to the membership action plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd so it\u2019s, you know, school\u2019s out on that question. It remains to be seen,\u201d Biden said, adding: \u201cIt will not just depend on me whether or not we conclude that Ukraine can become part of NATO. It will depend on the alliance and how they vote.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Biden said, the U.S. would \u201cdo all that we can to put Ukraine in the position to be able to continue to resist Russian physical aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ukraine has been locked in a tense tug-of-war with Russia ever since the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula following the ouster of Ukraine\u2019s Moscow-friendly president in 2014 and a Russia-backed separatist insurgency in the country\u2019s east \u2014 a conflict that has killed more than 14,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2021\/05\/24\/baltic-states-vow-to-tighten-their-defense-ties-with-an-eye-on-russia\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1228784364.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Baltic states vow to tighten defense ties with an eye on Russia<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The countries decided to begin preparatory work toward a multiple-launch rocket system, according to a joint declaration. The weapon would enter service sometime after 2025.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an interview on Russian state television, Putin issued a strong, new warning that the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO was unacceptable for Russia. He noted it would allow the alliance\u2019s missiles to reach Moscow and other key targets in western Russia in only seven minutes, a destabilizing situation that he said was comparable to Russia putting its missiles in Mexico or Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, the Pentagon announced a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/congress\/2021\/05\/07\/us-considering-security-aid-boost-for-ukraine-says-blinken\/\" target=\"_blank\">previously teased<\/a> $150 million security aid package to Ukraine, which included counter-artillery radars, counter-unmanned aerial systems, secure communications gear, electronic warfare and military medical evacuation equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/global\/europe\/2021\/03\/17\/ukrainian-official-us-should-help-improve-air-defense-systems-air-assets\/\" target=\"_blank\">$125 million package<\/a> announced in March included armed Mark VI patrol boats, counter-artillery radars, tactical equipment, support for a satellite imagery and analysis capability, and equipment to support military medical treatment and combat evacuation procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pentagon officials also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/Explore\/News\/Article\/Article\/2648670\/ukraine-making-progress-on-defense-reforms-official-says\/\" target=\"_blank\">highlighted<\/a> steps Kyiv has made on reforms \u2015 including its passage of a defense procurement corruption law \u2015 as well as five more things it must do to conform to Western standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe United States is committed to assisting Ukraine with the implementation of these reforms, and we maintain a robust advisory effort to help modernize Ukraine\u2019s military in line with NATO principles and standards,\u201d said the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, Laura Cooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A day after Ukraine\u2019s president tweeted NATO leaders had \u201cconfirmed\u201d it would become a member, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made clear no such action was 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