**Ukraine’s NATO Bid Hits a Roadblock**
The upcoming NATO summit in The Hague has dealt a blow to Ukraine’s bid for membership. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told the Baltic News Service that an invitation for Ukraine to join the alliance is not on the agenda.
“This issue is certainly not on the NATO agenda and nobody has formulated an expectation that there will be an invitation in The Hague, nor have we heard that from the Ukrainians themselves,” Budrys said. He emphasized that there was no expectation of a breakthrough decision at this summit or any previous ones.
This shift in rhetoric comes as the US President Donald Trump’s administration has been vocal about its opposition to Ukraine’s accession efforts. Trump even echoed Russian narratives that Ukraine’s bid helped instigate Russia’s invasion. The final communique from the summit may omit the topic of Ukraine’s membership altogether, as NATO members seek to avoid a conflict with Trump.
**Ukraine’s Membership Hopes Fading**
Despite previous signals of support for Ukraine’s accession efforts, it now seems increasingly unlikely that the country will be invited to join NATO anytime soon. The alliance has signaled its support in previous years, but the opposition from the US and several other members has made swift entry a long shot.
Ukraine would need the backing of all 32 member states to join, making it a challenging task for Kyiv. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister’s comments have only added to the uncertainty surrounding Ukraine’s bid.
**Tensions at the Summit**
The summit in The Hague is expected to be a tense affair, with disagreements between NATO members already emerging. The US President Donald Trump’s absence from the event has raised questions about whether President Volodymyr Zelensky will even attend the summit.
Adding to the tensions, Russian forces have been launching attacks on Ukraine, including a recent missile and drone strike that killed at least 23 people and injured 134 others in Kyiv. The US Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg is set to meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, raising hopes of a breakthrough in diplomatic efforts.
**What’s Next?**
As the summit approaches, it remains unclear whether there will be any breakthroughs regarding Ukraine’s membership bid. One thing is certain: the country’s path to NATO membership has become even more uncertain and challenging.
