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Ukraine can still become a NATO member in the future if it meets all the conditions, Swedish Defense Minister Poul Jonsson said on Thursday, February 13, Reuters reports.
Johnson's statement came after comments by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Ukraine's return to its 2014 borders was an "illusory goal" and that Kyiv's membership in NATO was "not a realistic outcome." US President Donald Trump agreed with his defense secretary's statement, calling Ukraine's accession to NATO "impractical" and also expressed doubts about Kyiv's return to all territories occupied by Russian troops. Democratic Senator Chris Coons criticized Hegseth for his statement on Ukraine's NATO membership, explaining that prematurely excluding Kyiv from the prospect of joining the Alliance is wrong from a long-term strategic perspective.
“I do not believe that NATO membership as such has been removed from the agenda for Ukraine,” said Jonsson before the start of a meeting of defense ministers of the Alliance countries in Brussels.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Economist that Kyiv's accession to NATO was unlikely due to opposition from the United States, Germany and Hungary — although, he said, the latter might agree to it if Trump asked. Zelenskyy added that "no one is giving up, but if the door remains closed, Ukraine must build NATO on its territory," referring to strengthening the Ukrainian army.
