Ukraine is not in NATO. Despite NATO being present in Ukraine, and Ukraine contributing towards NATO missions, the country is still officially not a member.
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Upon the inauguration of US President Joe Biden in 2020, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his first question to the new US leader would be: “Mr President, why are we not in NATO yet?”
Continued cooperation between Ukraine and NATO has put Ukraine in a strong position to join the defence alliance and plans are already in place for this to happen.
On 12 June 2020, Ukraine joined NATO’s enhanced opportunity partner interoperability program. According to an official NATO statement, the new status “does not prejudge any decisions on NATO membership.”
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Following the Russian military invasion in Ukraine and parliamentary elections in October 2014, the new government made joining NATO a priority
Russia is strongly opposed to any eastward expansion of NATO. On February 12, 2008, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia may target its missiles at Ukraine if its neighbour joins NATO and accepts the deployment of a US missile defence shield.
Putin has no doubt carried out his threats against Ukraine, following the recent Russian military invasion, declaring war between the two nations.
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