US Confirms Ukraine's Path to NATO Membership

US Permanent Representative to NATO, Julianne Smith, affirmed that Ukraine's future membership in the alliance remains secure, stating that not a single NATO leader challenged this commitment during the pact's July meeting. Her remarks were made during a telephone briefing in Brussels, where she responded to recent comments by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who claimed he would block Ukraine's accession while in office.

Smith highlighted that NATO leaders expressed a clear and unified position regarding Ukraine's path to membership during the recent 75th-anniversary meeting in Washington. She noted, "While we may discuss the timing and mechanisms for this process, it's essential for Ukraine to understand that no leader at the summer meeting disputed this fundamental premise. Ukraine will become a member of this alliance."

The upcoming two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels will also address the ongoing fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin plans to convene with his counterparts from countries with military personnel in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, focusing on adapting to the evolving threats posed by the group in the Middle East and globally.