Joining NATO Is Stumbling Block in Ukraine’s ‘Victory Plan’

Analysis: Kyiv says NATO accession is a key component of the long-awaited blueprint for victory against Russia.

Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg (L) gestures next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 20, 2023. Roman Pilipey /Getty Images

News Analysis

At last year’s NATO summit in Lithuania, allies agreed to defer Ukraine’s membership bid, at least temporarily, in favor of loosely defined “security agreements” between Kyiv and individual member-states.