NATO’s Rutte: Ukraine will become member, timing still unclear

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday reaffirmed that Ukraine will join the alliance, though the timeline remains uncertain.

Speaking about Ukraine’s membership, Rutte noted that “Ukraine will be the 33rd member” but acknowledged the possibility that another country might join before them. “This is what we decided in Washington. Therefore, the issue is now about chronology,” he said.

Rutte emphasized that NATO allies are concentrating on bridging efforts to facilitate Ukraine’s path to membership. “If there is a specific question of ‘when?’, I can’t answer that right now, but we are working on all these directions to ensure that one day they will become members of NATO,” he added.

The comments come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented a five-point victory plan to the country’s parliament, with the immediate invitation of Ukraine to NATO as the first point.