The Biden administration has so far said such an invitation would be a longer-term proposition that would require Ukraine to shore up its defense capabilities and internal institutions, but the topic is expected to loom large over a meeting between Zelenskiy, US President Joe Biden and other world leaders later this week in Germany.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris declined to say if she would support Ukraine’s push to join NATO if elected, but vowed she would insist Kyiv’s leaders were part of any US negotiation with Vladimir Putin over ending the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has sought to secure an invitation from the US to join the military alliance, believing it would provide leverage in his push to negotiate an end to Russia’s invasion of his country.
