Ukraine’s Path to Joining NATO is “Irreversible,” Member States Expected to Announce

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Despite concerns about a subsequent direct confrontation with Russia, member states are expected to declare that Ukraine has an “irreversible” path to joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance that obligates members to protect each other from any threat, Politico reports.

A joint declaration by all 32 member states is expected to follow the NATO summit currently underway in Washington DC, Politico learned from sources familiar with the matter.

Ukraine has long coveted membership in NATO, especially in light of the threat from Russia, and the promise of an “irreversible” path to membership will be welcomed. However, Kyiv must undergo further democratic reforms before it can become a full member of NATO.

Nevertheless, Politico emphasized in its report: “The expected decision is still a stunning development for Ukraine, which has fought Russia’s all-out invasion for two years with NATO’s support, and for many allies who spent weeks of negotiations pushing for the ‘irreversible’ language.”

“It would also prove a massive defeat for Russia, which started the war in part to keep Ukraine from tilting toward the West,” Politico noted.

“That alone might see the Washington summit rank among the most historic in NATO’s 75-year existence.”

In a statement on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna, said: “The fight now is over how to use this word in the right context. We’ve had sort of an agreement with the United States, so it will be really clear that the path to membership is irreversible.”

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