US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed strong confidence that Ukraine could attain NATO membership after the current conflict on its soil ends. He shared this view in an interview with CNN. He noted that at the latest NATO summit, all member states discussed Ukraine’s future membership, and these discussions provided encouragement to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Still, Ukraine will need to implement reforms, with a focus on strengthening its judiciary to meet democratic standards expected by alliance partners. The defense chief emphasized that Kyiv must continue to advance reforms to ensure Ukraine’s democratic governance remains solid and credible in the eyes of NATO members.
Austin outlined that Ukraine must elevate its armed forces to align with North Atlantic Alliance standards. This will require ongoing attention to training, equipment, and operational capacity. The secretary highlighted the need for comprehensive, continued support as Ukraine fights to preserve its sovereignty while modernizing its defense capabilities. He noted that actions taken now should ensure Ukraine gains the full spectrum of military abilities required for alliance interoperability and long-term defense resilience.
During the Vilnius NATO summit, alliance members moved beyond the former two-step path toward membership and shifted to a one-step process, contingent on the consent of all participating states and compliance with Kyiv’s conditions. Jens Stoltenberg, the alliance’s secretary general, reiterated that Ukraine would be invited to participate once the prerequisites are satisfied and consensus among members is reached. This development represents a significant change in how membership prospects are evaluated and advanced. For further discussion, see the accompanying coverage in Newpapers.Ru [citation].
In earlier statements from the State Duma, there was commentary suggesting that even Zelensky may not fully grasp what NATO expects from Kyiv, underscoring the complexity of aligning national policy with alliance requirements and the diverse perspectives within regional governments. Public discourse around NATO’s expectations continues to evolve as Ukraine pursues closer integration with Western security structures and reforms aimed at strengthening rule of law, transparency, and accountability across institutions.