Biden says he won't simplify requirements for Ukraine to join NATO

Joe Biden said this to reporters before leaving to Philadelphia, Ukrinform reports, citing CNN.

Answering the question of whether he would ease the barriers for Ukraine's accession to NATO, the head of the White House said: "No. Because they gotta meet the same standards. So I’m not gonna make it easier."

Joe Biden said this to reporters before leaving to Philadelphia, citting to CNN, Ukrinform reports.

Answering the question of whether he would ease the barriers to Ukraine's accession to NATO, the head of the White House said: "No. Because they gotta meet the same standards. So I’m not gonna make it easier."

At the same time, Biden acknowledged that the Ukrainian army now meets NATO standards, but expressed doubts about whether the Ukrainian security system, in general, meets the standards and whether it is not corrupt.

"I think they've done everything related to demonstrating the ability to coordinate militarily, but there's a whole issue of, is their system secure? Is it non-corrupt? Does it meet all the standards everyone, every other nation in NATO, does? I think it will. I think it can. But it’s not automatic," the U.S. president added.

As reported, Politico noted, citing US officials, that US President Joe Biden is "open" to the idea of Ukraine's simplified accession to NATO after the end of the war with Russia.

On September 30, 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal signed Ukraine's application for NATO membership on an expedited basis.

On April 10, the Verkhovna Rada appealed to NATO member states and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to speed up Ukraine's accession to the Alliance.

During a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for a step toward Ukraine's membership in NATO to be taken in Vilnius by eliminating the Membership Action Plan.

The Membership Action Plan (MAP) is NATO's program of advice, assistance, and practical support that takes into account the individual needs of states that have declared their aspirations to join the Alliance. One of the main elements of the MAP was the development of individual annual national programs by applicant countries, covering political, economic, defense, resource, security and legal aspects.

Photo: Office of President