Nato says no timetable for Ukraine to join, a decision Volodymyr Zelensky deems ‘absurd’
- Zelensky accused Nato allies of being ‘absurd’ for the uncertainty surrounding his country’s relationship with the alliance as a summit gets under way in Vilnius
- The Ukrainian leader’s comments could renew tensions at the summit soon after it saw a burst of goodwill after Turkey agreed to advance Sweden’s bid to join Nato
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the leaders of the military organisation’s member nations have agreed to allow Ukraine to join “when allies agree and conditions are met.”
Stoltenberg spoke on Tuesday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted the alliance’s failure to set a timetable for Ukraine’s membership as “absurd.”
“We reaffirmed Ukraine will become a member of Nato and agreed to remove the requirement for a membership action plan,” Stoltenberg told reporters, referring to a key step in joining Nato.
The decision will change Ukraine’s membership path from two steps to one step, he said, adding that Ukraine would join “when allies agree and conditions are met.”
With no consensus among the 31 allies for admitting Ukraine into Nato’s ranks, despite many members funnelling arms and ammunition to Zelensky’s forces, the leaders decided to remove obstacles on Ukraine’s membership path so that it can join more quickly once the war with Russia is over.
Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back sharply against the decision.
