The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) plans to present a proposal aimed at preparing Ukraine for potential membership in the alliance during its annual summit in Washington, D.C., next week. While not directly proposing membership, the plan is set to establish “an entire command” to ensure that Ukraine can fully contribute to NATO if it ever joins.
NATO allies are expected to reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine’s eventual membership in the alliance and announce significant new measures to enhance military, political, and financial support for the country. The proposal is part of a broader initiative known as the “bridge to membership,” designed to help Ukraine assume its full military responsibilities within NATO from the day it joins.
Ukraine has been seeking membership in the defensive alliance for some time, but the process requires unanimous approval by all member states and involves meeting certain standards of governance and territorial integrity. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made preventing Ukraine’s accession to NATO a key war aim since his country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Despite these challenges, a senior Biden administration official stated that the United States and many of its allies are working on “institutionalizing” Ukraine’s military ties to NATO through 20–30 bilateral security agreements. The U.S. will also announce a key deliverable to support Ukraine in areas such as training coordination, equipment coordination, logistics, and the development of its defense infrastructure.
In addition to these measures, establishing a robust institutional framework to help fund Ukraine’s security needs is a top priority for the Biden administration and its allies. This objective stems from concerns about a potential second Trump administration, which could threaten the flow of weapons to Ukraine due to former President Donald Trump’s criticism of NATO and skepticism about European partners meeting their financial obligations within the alliance.
However, the official noted that since the beginning of the Biden administration, the number of NATO nations spending at least two percent of their GDP on defense has risen significantly from nine to 23. This development is seen as a positive sign for the alliance’s future and indicates a substantial increase in NATO spending since 2020, totaling an additional $180 billion annually.
NATO will hold its 75th annual summit on July 9, during which further details about the proposed plan to help prepare Ukraine for membership will likely be discussed and potentially approved by member states.
