Ukraine seeks NATO invitation before Biden's term ends – ambassador

Ukraine would like to receive an invitation for NATO membership before Joe Biden leaves the White House, asserting that it would be a worthy legacy for the US president.

"Our idea is that giving Ukraine (an) invitation at this moment is a political signal," the ambassador noted. "We sincerely believe that it can be part of the legacy of (the) current American administration," Nataliia Galibarenko, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the North Atlantic Alliance, stated in an interview with Reuters.

The presidential elections in the US next month create significant uncertainty for Ukraine, as Washington is the largest supplier of military aid to Kyiv. 

Although Vice President and Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris has reaffirmed her support for Ukraine, she did not clarify the extent of that support. Former Republican president and current candidate Donald Trump has not offered a definitive response about his stance on the Russo-Ukrainian war.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has clearly indicated that he sees obtaining an invitation to NATO as a key element of his Victory Plan.

In an interview, Galibarenko elaborated on the rationale behind Kyiv's persistence. She asserts that an invitation would eliminate the main point of contention between Kyiv and Moscow. 

Moscow cites Ukraine's potential NATO membership to justify the war, while Ukraine insists on the necessity of joining the alliance to protect against any future Russian aggression.

"If we say that the invitation is there, for the Russian Federation, it would be like a final verdict – so that's it, so you cannot raise the stakes using this topic anymore," Galibarenko said.

She added that Kyiv is not insisting on an immediate start to membership negotiations, but an official invitation now would be a powerful signal. Asked when Ukraine would like to receive the invitation, she responded, "The sooner the better".

Earlier, Zelenskyy presented his Victory Plan to US President Joe Biden and presidential candidates, after which he toured Europe and shared the plan with the leaders of France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

It is known that the first point of the plan is an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO.