Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States is “not yet ready” for Ukraine to join NATO, noting that Kyiv is instead working with Washington on binding bilateral security guarantees similar to Article 5. He explained during an online briefing on Dec. 9 that the U.S. position on Ukraine’s membership is openly acknowledged in ongoing discussions.
Zelensky said that he views NATO membership as an issue for the future. He added that while a European “coalition of the willing” is developing its own framework, Ukraine sees a bilateral deal with the U.S. as crucial. According to Zelensky, the proposed guarantees take the form of a 20-point plan designed to mirror NATO’s collective defence principle.
Article 5 obliges all NATO members to treat an attack on one ally as an attack on all, requiring a unified response. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine cannot accept any plan to end the war without firm and enforceable security assurances. He also noted that issues concerning Donbas and Russian-occupied areas continue to be raised by Moscow, and Ukraine continues to respond ‘accordingly.’
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