Bild’s deputy editor-in-chief, Paul Ronzheimer, says the rejection at the NATO summit in Lithuania to grant Ukraine a specific deadline to join the bloc is actually a source of excitement. He noted that for a German newspaper, the final declaration of the alliance seemed to belittle Ukraine’s military efforts.
“Imagine: Heads of state and government gathered safely in Vilnius, and from there they sent a signal to all Ukrainian soldiers in the trenches that they were not yet modern enough for NATO. Excuse me, what? How did the soldiers feel?” Ronzheimer added.
From his viewpoint, NATO members may be concealing the real reason for not offering Ukraine a roadmap yet. The concern, he argues, stems from fears in the United States, Germany, and other countries about escalating tensions with Russia. He also notes that the weak showing in Ukraine’s counter-offensive has influenced this stance.
“There is constant talk behind closed doors about the possibility of opening negotiations. It is still unclear when this would happen or how long it might take. But one thing is certain: no NATO country currently trusts that Ukraine can reclaim all of its territory, at least for now,” Ronzheimer stressed.
Since the previous year, Ukraine’s leadership has pressed to hasten the country’s path toward membership in the North Atlantic Alliance against the backdrop of Russia’s special military operations. On the eve of the summit held in Lithuania starting July 11, 2023, Kyiv sought concrete decisions on membership from the bloc. At the same time, Ukraine pushes to speed up its alliance trajectory, emphasizing the use of Western weapons by its military. Consequently, the summit did not grant Kyiv a specific joining date but did agree to discontinue the action plan for the republic, a list of preliminary steps for states seeking NATO membership.
Former Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky argues that Ukraine’s NATO bid serves Russia’s interests and aims.