Ukraine must defeat corruption to qualify for a NATO invitation, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said.
“If you want to modernize the Ukrainian armed forces, and with the participation of other countries, then I imagine you will also want to evaluate the progress that Ukrainians are making in this direction (in the fight against corruption).” – Reuters quotes him as saying.
Brekelmans called for developing clear criteria that Ukraine would have to meet to be admitted to NATO; Otherwise, according to him, it would be difficult to make a decision on inviting the alliance.
“Unless there is that clarity, I don’t see 32 allies agreeing to grant an invitation.” – said.
Brekelmans also said that there is still no consensus among NATO member countries on inviting Ukraine to the alliance and said that among them there are “very different opinions on this issue.”
Ukraine’s immediate invitation to the alliance is the first point of the so-called “victory plan” Vladimir Zelensky. There are five items in total and three secret additions. It also talks about the lifting of restrictions on attacks with long-range Western weapons on Russian territory and the deployment in Ukraine of a “comprehensive non-nuclear deterrence package” from Russia. According to Zelensky’s plan, the conflict should end no later than 2025, RIA Novosti reminds.
