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NATO has not responded after Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled his “victory plan” midweek to Ukrainian lawmakers.
The Ukrainian leader revealed that the plan envisages Ukraine’s accession to the military alliance through an accelerated procedure, which would trigger the application of NATO’s Article 5. This article stipulates that all member states must defend an allied country that is attacked.
Mark Rutte, the new NATO secretary general, did not endorse the plan, but said NATO had considered it. He also did not mention a potential date for Ukraine’s membership.
“The plan has many aspects and many political and military issues that need to be discussed with the Ukrainians in order to understand what is behind it, to see what we can do and what we cannot do,” he said from Brussels.
The former Dutch Prime Minister recalled that Ukraine must first recover its territories before negotiations can take place under better conditions.
“We are in close contact with our allies, with Ukraine, to see how we can take the next steps,” he added.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to give more details to European leaders soon.
