At least 7 countries oppose Ukraine's accession to NATO – Politico

Germany and the United States are not the only countries blocking Ukraine's invitation to join NATO. Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, Slovenia and Spain are also resisting the move. Source: Politico

Details: According to Politico, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Victory Plan is facing challenges, as it hinges on Ukraine receiving an invitation to join NATO, but some key alliance members are not interested in making this happen.

Quote: "Germany and the US are among the major powers slow-walking Zelenskyy's call for an immediate invitation to join NATO, according to four U.S. and NATO officials and diplomats who were granted anonymity to share the latest internal discussions." Details: Politico noted that the Alliance's key members are concerned about being drawn into a war with Russia. In an interview with Politico, US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith, who is leaving her position, emphasised the American stance.

Quote from Smith: "The alliance has not, to date, reached the point where it is prepared to offer membership or an invitation to Ukraine."

Details: Germany and the US are not the only ones who block Ukraine's NATO membership. Hungary and Slovakia are also resisting, but they come from a different starting point. Their current populist leaders take a generally pro-Kremlin stance: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has blocked EU funds for providing weapons to Ukraine and has withdrawn from NATO's lethal aid program to Kyiv.

In a social media post, Orban called Zelenskyy's Victory Plan "more than terrifying". Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warned earlier this month that Ukraine's accession to NATO "would be a good basis for a third world war" and promised he would "never agree" to it. There are other countries that are not eager to move quickly on Kyiv's request and are content to remain in the background.

"Countries like Belgium, Slovenia or Spain are hiding behind the US and Germany. They are reluctant," one NATO official said. A second official noted that these countries "support it in the abstract but once it gets closer to materialising" they would begin to oppose it more publicly.

However, officials speaking to Politico emphasised that neither the US nor Germany is ruling out Ukraine's possible future NATO membership.

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