US official: Ukraine still does not meet requirements to become a NATO member
TASS news agency reported on June 12 that US Permanent Representative to NATO Julianne Smith said at a press conference that Ukraine has not yet met the requirements and criteria to become a candidate to join NATO.
The information came as Ms. Smith commented on US President Joe Biden's interview with Time magazine about the prospects of relations between Ukraine and NATO.
“However, I believe what the President of the United States was referring to in that particular interview was the fact that we, the United States, believe that the Ukrainians still have some work to do to meet the criteria and make the reforms necessary to become a member of NATO,” she stressed.
At the same time, she acknowledged that, “NATO allies are working closely with the Ukrainians, bilaterally and through the NATO Alliance, to help them continue to make progress.”
In September 2022, Ukraine applied to join NATO. The alliance has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine's accession is impossible while the country is in a state of conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Kiev is trying to put pressure on NATO member states over the invitation to join the alliance. He warned that Ukraine's possible accession would have extremely negative consequences for European security and would require a tough response from Russia.