Ukraine will become NATO member despite Moscow's demands - State Department

Whatever calculations and demands Moscow might make to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, they will be useless, and Ukraine will eventually join the Alliance.

U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a briefing on July 11, according to Ukrinform.

Miller noted that before the full-scale invasion began, Moscow wanted an ironclad commitment that Ukraine would never join NATO, and Washington "made clear that was not on the table."

"We reiterate that commitment today, and we made clear today that Ukraine will become a member of NATO," Miller said.

According to him, no matter what calculation Russian President Putin might make, "he only has to look at the security assistance we have already provided to Ukraine to help deter Russian attacks, security assistance that they have put into great use on the battlefield."

At the same time, commenting on Ukraine being unhappy that it did not receive a clear timetable for joining NATO at the summit in Vilnius, Miller said that if the Americans "were in their shoes, you can expect that we would be making the exact same requests." However, he added, accepting Ukraine to NATO now would then mean the United States would be in a war with Russia.

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