On July 11-12, allies will meet in Vilnius, Lithuania for the NATO Summit and the status of Ukraine’s accession into NATO will be the top topic. We are asking the United States and our allies to support a clear roadmap of Ukraine into NATO – and invite you to join us for our #UkraineInNATO campaign.
– In 2008, NATO did not accept Ukraine and Georgia (Bucharest Summit Declaration). Since the Russian full-scale invasion, Finland has been accepted and Sweden applied for membership, resuming the conversation about including Ukraine.
– Many NATO members have expressed their willingness to accept Ukraine (Baltic states, UK, France, Poland) – the United States, which has not been clear about their support of an invitation for Ukraine, should join them. The decision about Ukrainian membership is contingent on the Biden Administration’s decision.
Read more:
- Ukraine Needs a Roadmap to NATO Membership ASAP – what exact steps NATO should take at the Summit next week.
- Why Ukraine should get an invitation to NATO – a breakdown addressing the main counterarguments to #UkraineInNATO
Join our campaign to broaden the support for Ukraine’s invitation into NATO by posting your message of support on social media with the hashtag #UkraineInNATO. Take your own photo – or use our graphics! Find an extended selection, free for download, here.
Need more ideas for content – or want to dig deeper into some of the reasons why NATO should admit Ukraine? Check out 7 Reasons Why Ukraine Should Receive NATO Invitation at Vilnius NATO Summit:
1. It’s cheaper to stop Russia in Ukraine than in Western Europe, and Ukraine’s eventual NATO membership is the only ironclad way to stop Russia in Ukraine.
2. Ukraine has proven that its rightful place is in NATO and is making great strides toward interoperability. It’s a democratic country making concrete efforts to curb corruption and conduct oversight with a world-class military, and an invitation to join would ensure the final steps for Ukraine meeting or exceeding NATO standards. Further reading: Just Security
3. NATO will be stronger with Ukraine as a member—Ukraine has the most experienced modern army in Europe. It has already shown it can be interoperable with NATO equipment, and NATO has much to learn from Ukraine’s 16 months of combat experience. Further reading: Newsweek, The New York Times
4. Best deterrent of future wars. Don’t repeat past mistakes—keeping Ukraine and Georgia out of NATO in 2008 allowed Russia to invade both. NATO membership is the best guarantee against future wars. Further reading: POLITICO
5. Don’t be late to the game! The consensus among NATO Allies is already building for Ukraine to join. France, the UK, the Baltic states, and Poland all are in favor of Ukrainian membership. Just like with weapons systems, consensus will only continue to build for membership for Ukraine.Further reading: Le Monde
6. NATO membership is the best way to bring stability to Ukraine and Europe. Ukraine needs weapons to win the war now, but the Alliance is what can bring lasting peace after Ukraine wins.Further reading: Washington Post
7. No more Bucharests. NATO already committed that Ukraine could join—now is the time to tell Ukraine when it can join. No one expects instant membership, but if Vilnius brings no specifics on when accession can happen, it will be Bucharest 2.0 and embolden the Russians. Further reading: Foreign Policy,Just Security
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