Trump’s Envoy: Ukraine Won’t Join NATO Anytime Soon, But Security Guarantees Are Still on the Table
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, has made it clear that Ukraine’s NATO membership isn’t happening anytime soon thanks to both Russia’s opposition and the U.S. stance. However, there’s still an open discussion about whether Ukraine could receive NATO-style security guarantees without actually joining the alliance.
Speaking with Tucker Carlson, Witkoff said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top aide, Andrii Yermak, have pretty much accepted that NATO membership is off the table for now.
“I think Zelenskyy, and he’s got a right-hand guy, Yermak, I think that they’ve largely conceded that they are not going to be a member of NATO,”Witkoff stated.
But while NATO membership seems unlikely, there’s still talk about whether Ukraine could receive protection similar to what’s promised under Article 5 the part of the NATO treaty that says an attack on one member is an attack on all.
Witkoff hinted that the U.S. and European nations might still offer Ukraine some kind of security guarantee, even without full NATO membership.
“Whether Ukraine could have that in some respect from the United States or European nations without being a member of NATO… that’s still open for discussion,”he added.
Background on the Debate
Earlier this month, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melon I suggested extending NATO’s Article 5 protections to Ukraine, even without making it an official member. She argued that this could provide Ukraine with long-term security while also putting pressure on Russia.
Trump, however, has been clear on his stance. Back in February, he said that as part of any future peace deal, Ukraine would not be allowed to join NATO. He even suggested that NATO itself was part of the reason Russia launched its full-scale invasion, pointing to past promises that Ukraine would eventually become a member.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has also stated that Ukraine’s NATO membership is off the table in any potential peace negotiations.
So, while Ukraine might not be getting a seat at NATO’s table, discussions are still ongoing about whether it could get some of the alliance’s protections just without the official title.
“Trump’s Envoy Floats NATO-Level Security for Ukraine Without Full Membership”
