Ukraine tells NATO 鈥榯ime for clarity鈥� on membership

Above, NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky during an earlier meeting. Stoltenberg says all bloc members agree to stick by a 2008 pledge that Ukraine will become a member at some undefined point. (Reuters)
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  • Future relationship between Ukraine and NATO key question on the agenda of bloc鈥檚 summit in Vilnius

KYIV: Kyiv said Thursday the time had come for NATO to clarify its stance on war-torn Ukraine鈥檚 membership, ahead of a key alliance summit next month.
鈥淯kraine continues to work actively with all NATO allies to convince them that the time for clarity on Ukraine鈥檚 membership in the Alliance has come,鈥� Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted after speaking by phone with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
The future relationship between Ukraine and NATO is expected to be a key question on the agenda of a NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12.
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Zelensky argued that Kyiv鈥檚 battle-hardened troops would help strengthen NATO 鈥� not weaken it 鈥� when Ukraine will be 鈥渧ictorious.鈥�
鈥淲e are now a recipient of security assistance,鈥� Zelensky said.
鈥淏ut a victorious Ukraine will be a donor of security for our region, for the whole of Europe, for the whole world.鈥�
Stoltenberg said this week it was crucial to keep supporting Ukraine against Russia鈥檚 invasion and that NATO allies would thrash out a path to Kyiv鈥檚 membership of the alliance.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly raged about NATO鈥檚 eastward expansion, accused NATO members of taking part in the Ukraine conflict by donating arms to Kyiv and said the West planned to break up Russia.
Even Zelensky himself acknowledged this month that Ukraine would not be able to join NATO before the end of the Russian invasion.
Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine in February last year has galvanized the Western military alliance, set up almost 75 years ago, to face off against the Soviet Union.
But members of the military bloc are split over Ukraine, with Stoltenberg saying all members agree to stick by a 2008 pledge that Ukraine will become a member at some undefined point.