As a NATO summit approaches next month in Lithuania, President Joe Biden reportedly has approved of a plan to remove hurdles for Ukraine joining the military alliance.
During a meeting at the White House with Biden on Tuesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg proposed the alliance would say Ukraine has made progress toward membership and won't need to complete the step-by-step Membership Action Plan (MAP) that other Eastern European members went through before joining, Axios reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the discussions.
According to NATO, a MAP requires a candidate to make military and democratic reforms, with NATO's advice and assistance, before it determines whether the nation can be a member.
Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have been among those reluctant to move beyond the commitment made in 2008 that Ukraine will one day become a member, Axios reported. Several NATO allies have pressed Biden to agree to demonstrate that Ukraine will join sooner rather than later.
Biden had been seeking a solution that could unify NATO, and supported the idea, one of the sources told Axios. It is not known whether that will satisfy Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO's other 30 members.
"We are committed to NATO's Open Door Policy," a Biden National Security Council spokesperson told Axios. "Any Alliance decision is between the 31 Allies and the aspirant country."
The spokesperson said the U.S. and allies were holding talks "on how we can reassure Ukraine about their long-term security to deter any future aggression for after this war ends."
There has been speculation the U.S., France, Germany, and Great Britain could promise to arm and support Ukraine over the long haul, like they do with Israel, without committing to defending it, Axios reported. Any agreements between individual countries and Ukraine likely will be rolled out during the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12.
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