NATO Will Not Consider Ukraine's Membership Until Hostilities End - Latvian Prime Minister

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th March, 2023) NATO will not consider Ukraine's accession seriously as long as hostilities continue, but once the conflict is over, Kiev should join the alliance with all security guarantees, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said in a letter published by the Financial Times.

"Of course, while hostilities continue, no one within Nato would seriously consider incorporating Ukraine, since that would immediately bring all of Nato into the war which Russia is waging in Ukraine. But eventually, and with our combined and unwavering support, Ukraine will achieve its goals," Karins said.

In this regard, the Latvian prime minister specified that Kiev's "only option" to ensure that "Russia can be kept in check" is to "fully join the Nato alliance as well, together with all of the implied security guarantees" after the end of hostilities.

At the same time, Karins called for the official start of talks on Ukraine's accession to the European Union this year, even if hostilities continue.

"This is necessary for three reasons: first, because this will help to strengthen the morale and resolve of the Ukrainian army and people to not give in to Russian aggression. Second, the opening of negotiations will strengthen the purpose and pace of necessary reforms which Ukraine, just as any other candidate country, must go through to become eligible to join the EU. And third, the result of a successful EU bid by Ukraine will add necessary vigour and economic potential to our single market," the letter read.

In his letter, the Latvian prime minister also confirmed that Riga had started providing military assistance to Kiev even before the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

"Indeed, we began to provide military aid to Ukraine before the vicious February (2022) Russian onslaught began. Stinger missiles from Latvia were among the weapons used by the Ukrainians in the first days of fighting to repel the Russian attacks on Kyiv's airport," Karins said in his letter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an application for Ukraine's accession to the EU on February 28, 2022, four days after Russia launched its special military operation. On June 23, EU heads of state approved candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova. To start accession talks, the countries need to fulfill a number of conditions, including wide-ranging reforms.

In late September, Zelenskyy announced that Kiev was also applying for fast-track membership to NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, commenting on Zelenskyy's statement, reiterated the alliance's commitment to the right of each country to determine its own path and to NATO's "open door" policy, but stressed that the alliance would concentrate its efforts on assisting Ukraine to defend itself.