Ukraine can receive security guarantees under NATO's Article 5 without joining the Alliance — this is currently an open issue that is being actively discussed by allies within the bloc, US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff said.
Points of attention
- Despite discussions, Ukrainian leaders have not publicly admitted to forgoing NATO membership in the near future, creating a complex diplomatic landscape.
- The issue of extending protection to Ukraine remains a topic of debate among US and European countries within the NATO framework.
What NATO can offer Ukraine
According to Steve Witkoff, Ukraine cannot yet become a full member of the Alliance due to the position of Russia and the United States.
Moreover, he began to claim that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, had actually recognized the impossibility of Ukraine joining NATO in the near future.
What is important to understand is that neither Zelensky nor Yermak have ever publicly stated this.
I think Zelensky and his right-hand man Yermak have largely admitted that they are not going to be members of NATO.
Steve Witkoff
Special envoy of US President Donald Trump
Against this background, an American official officially confirmed that discussions are ongoing regarding the possible extension of the principle of collective defense, stipulated in Article 5 of the NATO treaty, to Ukraine.
As Steve Witkoff argues, the issue of providing Ukraine with such protection from the US or European countries remains a matter of debate.
