NATO Membership: Biden dashes Kiev’s hopes, says – Ukraine is not ready for NATO membership

July 9, 2023 | 11:25:55

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US President Joe Biden said that the process for NATO membership takes time and Ukraine will have to complete it, while Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul supported Ukraine’s claim for NATO membership as well as Russia-Ukraine talks. It was said that efforts will be made to continue the food grain export agreement.

US President Joe Biden has dashed Ukraine’s hopes of getting NATO membership soon by saying that it (Ukraine) is not ready yet.

He said that the process for NATO membership takes time, Ukraine will have to complete it, while in Istanbul, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan supported Ukraine’s claim for NATO membership as well as Russia-Ukraine food exports. There was talk of trying to continue the agreement.

He said that he would discuss the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Turkey in August, but the Kremlin, the Russian President’s office, refused to schedule Putin’s visit to Turkey.

Erdogan said this in a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the food grain export agreement expiring on July 17. He said that this agreement is necessary to maintain stability in the availability of food grains and its prices in the world.

What is Zelensky’s demand?

Zelensky was in Turkey to drum up support for Ukraine’s entry into NATO. Earlier he had visited Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Zelensky demands that there should be a clear announcement on the inclusion of Ukraine in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) at the summit of the leaders of the member countries to be held in Lithuania next week. US President Joe Biden will also participate in this summit.

‘Turkey releases Ukrainian military commander’

In the presence of Ukrainian President Zelensky, Turkey released five army commanders who surrendered at the Battle of Mariupol and allowed them to go to Ukraine. Zelensky has returned to Kiev by plane with all five commanders.

Russia has strongly protested the release of these military commanders and called it a violation of the Turkish-mediated tripartite agreement on the release of prisoners. According to the agreement, these commanders were to remain in Turkey and were not to return to Ukraine during the war.

The release of the commanders has been done without informing Russia. It is to be known that the soldiers under the leadership of these commanders had fought with the Russian soldiers for several months by setting up a front in the Azovstal steel factory near Mariupol.