According to Benjamin Haddad, the Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France, “The invitation is the first step, an important political signal we could give Ukraine right now. We are mobilizing efforts to convince our partners,” he said.
Haddad emphasizes that the process of Ukraine’s accession could be long and complicated, but this does not prevent sending an invitation immediately. Receiving an invitation to NATO is a crucial point of Ukraine’s Victory Plan.
At the same time, as highlighted by Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s membership in NATO will be possible only after the end of the war, but an invitation to the bloc can change the situation.
“When receiving an invitation, a joining protocol is drawn up, which specifies both the terms and the reforms that need to be made,” she explained.
At the same time, Ukraine’s invitation to NATO will in no way relate to advancement at the front or reclaiming territories. Stefanishyna added that the issue of Ukraine’s membership without regaining the occupied territories has not been discussed.