In the new annual report of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, there is no mention of Ukraine’s potential membership in the Alliance.
This marks a noticeable change compared to the 2023 document, which explicitly stated: “Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” and emphasized support for Kyiv’s path toward joining.
In the 2024 report, such wording is absent. The document only notes that NATO has established special structures for cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia, without mentioning possible membership.
Moreover, the report does not include any mention of the outcomes of the summer NATO summit in Washington, where allies previously expressed support for Ukraine on its “irreversible path toward full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership.”
In the preface to the new report, NATO’s Secretary General only noted that allies “are united in their commitment to a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine.”
U.S. President Donald Trump had previously expressed skepticism about Ukraine joining NATO. In his view, discussing the issue only increased the likelihood of conflict.
