Ukraine's path to NATO membership irreversible but not part of peace deal – Rutte

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said this at a press conference in Brussels on Friday following a two-day meeting of the NATO foreign ministers, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

He made the remarks in response to a question on whether NATO allies still consider Ukraine's NATO path irreversible, in light of recent statements by U.S. officials.

"That's it. We decided in Washington that the path of Ukraine into NATO is irreversible. We are building the bridge by everything we're doing with Ukraine, getting Ukraine as interoperable as possible with NATO. But it was never promised to Ukraine that NATO membership will be part of a peace deal," Rutte said.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated earlier that Ukraine's NATO membership is not a realistic prospect. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said that Ukraine's accession to NATO is unlikely and that such a position is held not only by the U.S., but by other NATO members as well.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the U.S. refusal to consider NATO membership for Ukraine "a big gift to the Russians."

Photo: NATO