At Least 7 Countries Oppose Ukraine’s NATO Membership, Politico Reports

Germany and the United States are not the only countries blocking Ukraine’s invitation to join NATO, according to Politico report on October 23.

Other nations, including Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain, are also opposing the move.

Although Zelenskyy acknowledged that full NATO membership could only happen after the end of the war with Russia, he insists that receiving an invitation during the war is “fundamental.”

Despite Ukraine’s plea, officials in Berlin and Washington remain cautious.

Outgoing US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said that the alliance has not yet reached the stage where it is ready to offer Ukraine membership or an invitation. This hesitation, shared by several NATO members, stems largely from concerns about being drawn into direct war with Russia.

“I have a very good relationship with Scholz, and I’m grateful for Germany’s help,” Zelenskyy said, referring to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country is the second-largest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the US “But the fact that the German side is skeptical about our joining NATO is a fact.”

Germany and the US are not the only ones expressing reluctance.

Hungary and Slovakia are also pushing back, although for different reasons. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been openly pro-Kremlin, blocking EU military aid to Ukraine, while Slovakia’s populist leader Robert Fico argued that Ukraine’s NATO membership could trigger a WW3.

Additionally, NATO members such as Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain are aligning with a more cautious stance, opting to support this approach discreetly rather than openly opposing Ukraine’s request.

Meanwhile, countries like Poland and the Baltic states are far more supportive of opening the door to NATO for Kyiv, creating a divide within the alliance.

Scholz, during US President Joe Biden’s recent visit to Berlin, reiterated the importance of ensuring NATO doesn’t become directly involved in the war to avoid further escalation.

However, neither the US nor Germany has ruled out Ukraine’s eventual accession to NATO. The Biden administration has maintained that any decision on NATO membership for Ukraine would come after the war and be contingent on necessary reforms, including tackling corruption.

Earlier, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy said that Ukraine does not want to regain the right to be a nuclear power, but in exchange, it should receive a “security umbrella”.