NATO members failed to reach a consensus at the summit in Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on admitting Ukraine into its ranks. In its communique, the 31 NATO members pledged to invite Ukraine to join the military alliance "when allies agree and conditions are met" and did not set a timetable.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been pressing NATO to lay a clear pathway for its membership, criticised the "absurd" delay to accession, BBC reported.
In a bid to join NATO, nations need unanimous approval from the military alliance's 31 member states.
Ukraine believes joining the military alliance is the only viable solution to prevent future attacks by Russia. On the other hand, the US and other allies are wary of fast-tracking the process since it may be interpreted by Russia as an escalatory move.
What Did NATO Say On Ukraine Joining The Military Bloc?
In its communique on the first day of the NATO Summit, the bloc said while "Ukraine's future is in Nato", the alliance would only "extend an invitation to Ukraine" when Kyiv had completed certain "democratic and security sector reforms".
The communique said NATO recognised the need to move faster but would not be drawn on a timeframe to admit Ukraine.
In a statement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the most important thing now was to ensure that Ukraine wins the war. "Unless Ukraine prevails there is no membership to be discussed at all," BBC quoted Stoltenberg as saying.
However, not all was lost for Ukraine as NATO sweetened the accession process by removing a key hurdle for Kyiv.
NATO leaders agreed to remove the requirement for a Membership Action Plan, which is a program of economic, defense and security reforms.
"This will change Ukraine's membership path from a two-step process to a one-step process," CNN quoted Stoltengberg as saying.
The process for Membership Action Plan is usually protracted and burdensome and its removal will significantly help hasten Ukraine's membership bid once it is formally invited to apply.
Moreover, the creation of a new Nato-Ukraine Council also got a nod. It will give Ukraine the right to summon meetings of the whole alliance.
How Did Ukraine React?
In a sharp retort, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will attend the NATO summit in Vilnius on Wednesday, said that the lack of an agreed timeframe meant his country's eventual membership could become a bargaining chip, BBC reported.
"A window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine's membership in Nato in negotiations with Russia. Uncertainty is weakness," he said.
In a statement issued after the communique, the Ukrainian President said, "Today I embarked on a trip here with faith in decisions, with faith in partners, with faith in a strong Nato. In a NATO that does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor…And I would like this faith to become confidence."
Why Is NATO Delaying Ukraine's Accession To The Military Alliance?
The language of the NATO communique reflected opposition from Germany and the US on Ukraine's accession, The Guardian reported. It said that too firm a commitment could prompt an escalation from Russia and if Ukraine was allowed to join the military bloc while the war continued, it could ultimately pit NATO into direct war against Moscow.
Some NATO member states also fear that automatic and quick membership for Ukraine could give Russia an incentive to both escalate and prolong the war, BBC reported.
Before arriving for the NATO summit, US President Joe Biden said Ukraine was not ready for membership and needed to show progress on "democratisation" and "a whole range of other issues".
One of the main criteria for entry into NATO is that a European nation must demonstrate a commitment to democracy, individual liberty and support for the rule of law.
While Ukrainian leaders have previously said they met that threshold, some American and European officials argue otherwise, a report in NYT said.
Transparency International, an anticorruption watchdog, in a report in 2020, ranked Ukraine 117 out of 180 countries on its corruption index -- lower than any NATO nation.
Also, some Western nations have also questioned whether Ukraine could meet another criteria -- that of contributing to the collective defence of NATO nations.