The question of Ukraine joining NATO will have real significance only if Kyiv achieves victory in the ongoing conflict. The North Atlantic Alliance has committed unprecedented assistance to Ukraine, a stance voiced by the alliance’s Secretary General on Monday.
The emphasis now is on Ukraine securing a decisive win. Without that outcome, the matter of membership loses its immediate relevance. In support of Kyiv, NATO has already delivered substantial aid and pledges to continue doing so.
Stoltenberg noted that allies have provided roughly 65 billion euros in military assistance to Ukraine. He welcomed the early deliveries of modern tanks and other armored personnel carriers, marking a notable step forward in the support package.
“Historic Week”
Finland is set to become the 31st member of NATO during the alliance’s foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on April 4. This milestone is described as a historic week by officials involved in the process.
Stoltenberg stated that starting tomorrow Finland will be a full member of NATO, which will strengthen the alliance and enhance safety across member states. The Finnish Presidency Office confirmed that President Sauli Niinistö will travel to Brussels for the official joining ceremony.
Sweden has already integrated into NATO’s military and political structures, and Stoltenberg said the country will not be left behind as the cohort expands. He cautioned, however, that full integration for Sweden could take additional weeks or months. The ongoing process began when Finland and Sweden were invited to join the alliance.
How is NATO expanding?
NATO stands as a military alliance built on a framework of collective defense. Nations aspiring to join must meet specific conditions and undergo a multi-phase process that blends political dialogue with military alignment.
To date, NATO has progressed through seven expansion phases. The unification of Germany in 1990 extended the alliance into the former East German territory.
During the negotiations surrounding that merger, it was stated—though later disputed—that foreign troops would refrain from deployment in the former East German lands and that eastern expansion would be limited. Russian leadership later challenged this claim, while NATO dismissed it. In 1994, the alliance decided to admit the former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact states. At the time, President Bill Clinton described the move as potentially self-fulfilling and warned it might provoke Russia’s alienation, a concern echoed by several analysts in the subsequent years.