Volker: Ukraine is still not ready for NATO
US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker shared his opinions in Brussels on Saturday, March 10 on Ukraine’s readiness to join NATO. Volker emphasized that Ukraine should have but did not receive a NATO membership action plan or MAP back in 2008 at the Alliance summit in Bucharest. "The US advocated the granting of the MAP to Ukraine and Georgia, which would have been a right move, and which should have been done, because the MAP is not a guarantee of membership, it is an instrument, a way to help the country prepare, so that it would become a reliable candidate later," he said.
According to Volker, Georgia and Ukraine are still not ready for NATO membership. "There is still much to do for both countries," the politician noted. He explained that in 2008, US allies in the Alliance feared creating "automatism towards membership."
On March 9, NATO has finally recognized Ukraine's aspiration to become a member of the alliance in the future.