US envoy doesn't expect NATO invitation to Ukraine at Washington summit in July

Washington, DC [US], February 14 : The US Permanent Representative to NATO, Julianne Smith, said on Tuesday (local time) that she does not expect the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) alliance to extend membership invitation to Ukraine at the NATO summit set to held in Washington in July.
While speaking at an online press briefing, Julianne Smith noted that the NATO alliance has been clear that Ukraine's future is in the NATO alliance. She said allies have made efforts since the Vilnius Summit held in 2023 to move out on a number of steps to continue helping Ukraine with necessary reforms in its country to move closer to Euro-Atlantic integration.
Asked whether NATO will extend to Ukraine an invitation for membership, Smith said, "Well, I think first and foremost, I would note that last year the Alliance was very clear. Allies explicitly stated that Ukraine's future is in the NATO Alliance, so we reaffirmed what the Alliance said in 2008, when Allies noted that Ukraine would become a member of the Alliance. And we've worked very hard since the Vilnius Summit last year to move out on a number of steps to continue to help our friends in Ukraine with the necessary reforms inside their own country to move closer to Euro-Atlantic integration, both their integration with the European Union and with the NATO Alliance. And we continue to focus, first and foremost, on supporting them in the current fight and ensuring that they can prevail on the battlefield."
"As for the summit this summer, I do not expect the Alliance to issue an invitation at this juncture. I do anticipate that the Allies will be able to signal that the Alliance continues to move closer to Ukraine and that we are taking concrete steps to serve as a bridge between where we are now and that full-fledged membership," she added.
She expressed hope that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be able to participate in the summit in person and he will continue to hear about allies "unwavering support" for Ukraine.
Julianne Smith said, "Stay tuned for additional insights on what we will be rolling out at the summit, but we very much hope that President Zelenskyy will be able to join us in person, and I think he will continue to hear unwavering unity and resolve in Allies' support for his country. And we will be able to signal, most importantly, to President Putin that we aren't going anywhere in terms of our support for Ukraine. All of us will continue to support them for as long as it takes."
She stated that encouraging the Kremlin to attack any NATO ally will put US soldiers and the soldiers of allies in "greater danger."
Asked about former US President Donald Trump's remarks that undermining Article V has put the US and European soldiers in greater danger, Julianne Smith said, "Well, look, encouraging the Kremlin to attack any NATO Ally or Alliance territory really puts our soldiers, US soldiers, and our Allies' soldiers in greater danger. Doing so, making those types of statements, is dangerous and, frankly, irresponsible.
During a campaign event on Saturday, Trump said that he would encourage Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to any NATO member country that does not meet guidelines regarding spending and would not offer such a country US protection, CNN reported.
During the press briefing, she noted that the NATO alliance is celebrating its 75th birthday at the summit in Washington, DC, in July. She further said, "And what that means is that for over seven decades, we have had several Democratic and Republican administrations in the United States join together in one belief, and that belief is that alliance, particularly the NATO Alliance, really sit at the cornerstone of US foreign policy."
Calling these alliances the strength of America, Smith said that they serve the interests of the US and its allies. She noted that the US and its allies have been working together on conventional military threats and continuing to provide important deterrence and defence of NATO territory.
Julianne Smith said, "These alliances are America's strength. They are not a charity project. They serve US interests directly, and they serve the interests of our allies directly. And what we've been able to do together with our allies for over 70 years is nothing short of remarkable."
"Not only are we working together on conventional military threats and continuing to provide important deterrence and defence of NATO territory, but we are working together day in and day out here in the NATO Alliance on a variety of future challenges. We look and work together on space, cyber, emerging and disruptive technology, protecting critical infrastructure, and ensuring that we're building resilience so that we can guard against some of the hybrid tactics that we've seen the PRC and the Russians rely on," she added.