Reactions to NATO Summit on Ukraine’s Path to Joining the Alliance

The path for Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — a once distant prospect before Russia launched its full-scale invasion on the country — is now considered “irreversible” by members of the bloc who gathered in Washington this week. The leaders of NATO made a bold declaration in a communiqué, emphasizing the commitment to Ukraine’s future integration.

Despite the strong statement, many Ukrainian officials and analysts believe that promises without corresponding actions are inadequate. They argue that while the public display of solidarity at the summit was appreciated, it did little to address the deep uncertainties facing Ukraine and the Western alliance.

Valeriy Chaly, a former Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and head of the Ukraine Crisis Media Center, expressed his thoughts on the summit by stating, “To put it briefly: the summit could have been truly historic, but it will not be.”

Although Ukrainian officials welcomed the renewed pledges of military support and expressed hope that the security agreements reached at the summit would influence future peace negotiations, many feel that the failure to extend a formal invitation for Ukraine to join NATO reflects a broader indecision by the West in responding to President Vladimir V. Putin’s invasion.

Additionally, the looming uncertainty of the United States presidential election cast a shadow over the summit. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine remarked at the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington that “Everyone is waiting for November,” implying that even Mr. Putin is monitoring the outcome closely.