US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated on Monday that the path for Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) remains “open” in the face of the Russian invasion.
During a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the US State Department, Blinken noted the alliance's “sense of urgency” in responding to Moscow's aggression, which the Kiev military has clearly supported since the start of the war. He also noted that Russia's actions have prompted historically neutral countries such as Finland and Sweden to apply to join the Western bloc – Finland's application was officially approved in April, while Sweden's application is still under consideration.
“In the wake of Moscow's renewed aggression against Ukraine, both countries felt that it was clearly in their interest to defend their people and their sovereignty by joining the alliance,” Blinken told reporters.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (right) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a joint press conference at the State Department in Washington, DC on Monday. Blinken told reporters that Ukraine will “…U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (right),” and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a joint news conference at the State Department in Washington, DC on Monday. Blinken told reporters that Ukraine “will become a member of NATO.” More Alex Wong/Getty Images
“I think the process that we have experienced in record time, first with Finland and now with Sweden, shows that the door of NATO is open and will remain open, including for Ukraine, which will become a member of NATO,” he added added.
President Joe Biden has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will become a member of NATO following the country's war with Russia, including last month during a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, where the president told reporters that NATO is “in the future of Ukraine will be no”. Ask.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin blames Western influence in Ukraine – which officially announced its intention to join the NATO alliance in 2019 – for pushing Moscow to invade its neighbor. The Kremlin also stated that the war could not end until Russia achieved neutrality in Ukraine.
Blinken said Monday that Finland and Sweden joining NATO “also underscores one of the many ways in which Putin's aggression against Ukraine has been an abject strategic failure for Russia.”
“[Putin] wanted to shrink NATO. “It’s bigger now and getting bigger,” he added. “He wanted to weaken NATO.” It is stronger than ever.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry via email Monday evening for comment.
Stoltenberg also emphasized NATO's unity in the face of Russian aggression during Monday's press conference and reiterated that the alliance will stand by Kiev until the end of the war.
“President Putin started this war and he could end it today if he stopped attacking a neighbor,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “The war could also end if Ukraine stopped defending itself. But that wouldn't mean peace. It would mean that Russian occupation and occupation is not peace.”
“Just peace requires President Putin to realize that he will not get what he wants on the battlefield… So if we want the ultimate thing, which is just peace, we must provide Ukraine with more weapons and ammunition.” Weapons are the path to peace,” the NATO chief added.
“For NATO, the United States has more friends and allies than any other power,” Stoltenberg said. “Together we account for 50 percent of the world’s economic and military power. China and Russia have nothing like NATO. That’s why they always tried to undermine our unity.”
Update 01/29/24 6:11 PM ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.
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Newsweek strives to challenge conventional wisdom and find connections in the search for common ground.