Wallace: Ukraine should join NATO "as quickly as possible"

Ukraine should join NATO "as quickly as possible", but only after the war with Moscow is over, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said at the NATO summit in Vilnius.

That's according to CNN, Ukrinform reports.

"I totally agree with the United States that we can't have a new member in the middle of a conflict. That would just import war into the alliance," Wallace told CNN.

Wallace noted that NATO members should "work together to make sure that Russia fails in its… illegal invasion of Ukraine" before allowing Ukraine to join the alliance.

However, once the war is over, NATO should be ready to accept Ukraine as a new member.

"Given we have an open-door policy, it's important to state that we believe Ukraine does belong in NATO," Wallace said, adding that Ukraine has taken some of the necessary "steps" to get there, particularly in terms of strengthening its military and eliminating corruption.

"Whenever this conflict finishes, we should be prepared as quickly as possible to bring Ukraine into NATO," Wallace said.

As reported, on July 11, the NATO summit began in Vilnius, during which the allies will make important decisions to strengthen the alliance's deterrence and defense system, and are expected to reaffirm their support for Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression and on the path to NATO membership.