Ukraine rejects any third-party veto over NATO membership aspirations

Ukraine firmly rejected on Friday the notion that any third country, including Russia, could have veto power over Kyiv’s NATO membership ambitions, even as the military alliance remains divided on the issue.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, speaking to journalists in Brussels following meetings with NATO foreign ministers and the Ukraine-NATO Council, emphasized that Ukraine’s sovereignty includes choosing its own alliances.

“There are fundamental things that the Ukrainian side will never accept. One of these is the impossibility of any third country having a veto on our aspirations,” Sybiha said. “This includes our intentions to join any union or alliance, including NATO.”

The foreign minister acknowledged the current lack of consensus among NATO members regarding Ukraine’s accession but pushed back against suggestions that external pressure is causing the impasse.

“It is not about Russia or any other third country,” he stated.

Sybiha stressed that Ukraine continues working to align itself with NATO standards and demonstrate its readiness for membership.

“Ukrainian security and transatlantic security are indivisible. Our Constitution supports NATO membership, and so does the will of our people,” he said.

The foreign minister also noted that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not yet received an official invitation to attend the upcoming NATO summit scheduled for June in The Hague.

Türkiye’s pragmatic stance on Ukraine’s NATO bid

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had clarified in February that while Türkiye would not oppose Ukraine’s desire to join the alliance, he emphasized the need for pragmatism. “Ukraine’s desire to join NATO will not be opposed, but we must be very realistic,” Fidan stated.

He noted uncertainty about whether the previous Turkish administration had supported Ukraine’s NATO membership, saying, “I am not sure whether the previous administration was in favor of Ukraine joining NATO. Therefore, I do not believe there is a new policy on this matter.”

Fidan explained that Ukraine seeks NATO membership not merely as a status symbol but as a matter of national security, reflecting discussions held with European partners and Ukrainian allies. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official stance was reiterated by Fidan: “We won’t say anything to those who want to join NATO, but we must be very realistic.”