Secretary of State Antony Blinken restated the U.S. dedication for Ukraine to eventually become part of NATO but didn't make specific commitments before the alliance’s yearly gathering in Washington in July.
“Ukraine will become a member of NATO. Our aim at the summit is to help pave the way for that membership,” Blinken told journalists Thursday in Brussels.
NATO allies agreed at the 2023 summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, that Ukraine can join NATO when certain conditions are met, but sparked criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Baltic allies for failing to set concrete goals and a timeline for Kyiv to join the alliance.
Supporters of Ukraine are developing ways to show strong international backing for Kyiv that can be announced at NATO’s Washington summit, which marks the 75th anniversary of the alliance.
The outcomes are significant given concerns about declining U.S. support for Ukraine, as House Republicans delay additional American assistance and worry that the potential return of former President Trump to the White House could lead to a withdrawal of the U.S. from its commitments to allies and partners.
