Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain are among seven NATO countries hesitant to extend an invitation to Ukraine, according to a Politico report, citing four anonymous U.S. and NATO officials and diplomats.
While Germany and the U.S. have already expressed concerns about Ukraine’s membership, the report suggests that Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain are deferring to these two nations, delaying President Volodymyr Zelensky’s ongoing request, News.Az reports.
In mid-October, Zelensky introduced a five-point victory plan, with NATO membership at the forefront. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith stated on October 17 that there are currently no plans for such an invitation.
“Countries like Belgium, Slovenia, or Spain are hiding behind the U.S. and Germany. They are reluctant,” one NATO official told Politico.
The nations “support it in the abstract, but once it gets closer to materializing” they will start to oppose the idea more publicly, they added.
Two other countries — Hungary and Slovakia — are not backing Ukraine’s NATO membership due to their pro-Kremlin leanings, Politico reported.
Zelensky said earlier this week that Germany has softened its stance on Ukraine’s NATO membership, but remains “skeptical.”
Kyiv submitted its application to join in September 2022, and in July 2024 the alliance affirmed Ukraine’s “irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership.”