Impossible to accept new NATO members who are at war – German FM

Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, on Thursday told the press it was “impossible” to accept new members to NATO who were at war, in comments ahead of the bloc’s ministerial, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

 

“The open door policy of NATO is in force, but at the same time it is clear that we cannot talk about accepting new members, who are in the middle of a war”, she said. 

 

Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, however said Moscow could not stop Ukraine from joining the alliance. 

 

“Everyone in the alliance agrees that Moscow does not have a veto against NATO expansion,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Oslo.

 

“We are moving, the allies agree that Ukraine will become a member of NATO,” Stoltenberg said.

 

Ukraine’s western allies have also pointed out Kyiv would have to meet a number of conditions to align with mandatory standards to get NATO membership.