Ukraine’s path to joining NATO was described as “irreversible” in a draft text of the alliance’s joint communique, according to sources familiar with the matter. The debate over how strong of a guarantee to provide Ukraine about its future membership has been ongoing among the alliance’s 32 members ahead of this week’s summit in Washington. The draft language could change before the final version, but the inclusion of the “irreversible” term would send a significant signal to Kyiv and Moscow amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A US official confirmed that the White House supports using the word “irreversible” in the final communique, with the condition that it also emphasizes the need for Ukraine to continue its work on democratic reforms. The final version of the communique is expected to reflect this stance.
While many Europeans have pushed for strong language regarding Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO, US and German officials have suggested describing a “bridge” to NATO membership for Ukraine. However, officials have stressed the importance of tangible measures to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
A US senior administration official announced that NATO will be making significant new announcements on increasing military, political, and financial support for Ukraine as part of its “bridge to NATO.” Specific details of the joint communique were not disclosed by US officials on Monday.
Michael Carpenter, senior advisor for Europe at the National Security Council, stated that the summit declaration will contain clear and forceful language recognizing Ukraine’s reform efforts and demonstrating allied support for its NATO membership path.
The senior administration official emphasized that NATO’s support for Ukraine will involve substantial deliverables to prepare the country for its roles and responsibilities within the alliance. This effort includes setting up a command in Wiesbaden and providing training, coordination, equipping, logistics, and force development.
“I’ll let the Ukrainians speak for themselves, but I think they understand the value of what NATO will be doing for that,” the official said.
