Brussels – The British newspaper “The Telegraph” reported that NATO will not extend an invitation to join Ukraine during the summit in Washington due to the spread of corruption in the country.
The newspaper quoted a senior US State Department official on Tuesday as saying that the summit will call on Ukraine to take “additional steps” to combat corruption before moving forward with negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the alliance.
The official indicated that this position will be included in the written statement that will be issued by the Washington summit on July 9.
The official praised the reforms that Ukraine has achieved over the past two and a half years, adding: “As they continue to implement these reforms, we want to commend them and we want to talk about what further steps need to be taken, especially in the area of fighting corruption. This is a priority for many behind the table.”
The NATO summit is scheduled to be held in Washington between July 9 and 11.
US officials have stressed that the summit will not invite Ukraine to join the alliance, but they have spoken at the same time about extending a “bridge to” Ukraine’s future membership in the alliance.
Media reports indicated that Washington opposes talk of an “irreversible path” regarding Ukraine’s future membership in NATO, which some other members, including Britain and Central European countries, insist on.
Source: The Telegraph
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2024-07-03 11:30:41