In the plan for winning the war presented by President Volodymyr Zelensky, an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO is at the top of the list. However, US Congressman Jerry Connolly, who is heading the Alliance's Parliamentary Assembly for the second time, explained why such an important invitation has not yet been issued.
Connolly believes that the main priority now is to end the war and restore Ukraine's sovereignty over its territories. He stressed that NATO, as well as the US government, have a clear position on supporting the idea of Ukraine joining the Alliance. However, according to him, before this accession can be carried out, the problem of the occupation and presence of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine must be resolved.
The congressman noted that it is important to wait for the end of the war so that Ukraine can join NATO as a whole, and not just with part of its territories. “Maybe this is not the only way, but we hope for a certain result. That is why NATO and the US government allocate large resources to support Ukraine,” he explained.
Connolly also noted that US President Joe Biden supports Ukraine's aspirations, including its desire to join NATO. However, he stressed that Biden is unlikely to take concrete action without consulting other NATO allies.
According to the congressman, the first priority is to end the violence perpetrated by Russians on Ukrainian territory. “Let’s not lose focus on this priority goal. Supporting President Zelensky and the Ukrainian military to win this fight must remain the focus,” he concluded.
