President Joe Biden warned that the United States would be «at war with Russia» if Ukraine joins NATO presently.
President Joe Biden on Sunday urged a «rational path» for Ukraine’s ascension into The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), explaining why he believes the Eastern European country is not yet ready to join the military alliance during an interview with CNN.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine last February, Kyiv has pushed for expedited membership into NATO, a military alliance between the United States, Canada and 29 European countries. Ukraine’s potential NATO membership was a major point of contention with Moscow prior to the invasion and is expected to loom over an upcoming NATO summit. While the alliance has pledged that Ukraine would eventually be allowed to join, leaders have suggested that membership may still be years away.
Biden on Sunday told CNN he does not «think [Ukraine is] ready for membership in NATO,» explaining that there is not unanimity among current member states «at this moment.» He dismissed calls to hold a vote on NATO membership at the summit on July 11 and 12 in Vilnius, Lithuania, as «premature.»
He suggested Ukraine may not be able to join until the war with Russia concludes, as Article 5 of the founding NATO treaty would require a military response from all member states should one be attacked.
