Newspaper: Ukraine's request to join NATO surprised Washington

Newspaper: Ukraine's request to join NATO surprised Washington

Politico reported that Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelenskiy's decision to submit his country's rapid NATO accession application was surprising for the administration of US President Joe Biden.

The Biden administration was "surprised" by Ukraine's revelation that it wanted to join NATO quickly, according to the newspaper.

It cited its sources that Washington remained contradictory to Ukraine's membership of NATO, including because of the necessity of the involvement of American military in protecting any NATO member under attack.

"Ukraine was seeking these security assurances

while many in the United States were concerned about the prospects of a war with Russia."

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy announced earlier on Friday that Kiev, in response to the accession of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics and the Kherson and Zaporoje regions to Russia, had submitted a request for NATO's speedy accession.

According to the newspaper, the Assistant President of the United States for National Security, Jacques Salevan, stated that Ukraine's request for admission to NATO was inappropriate, while the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, avoided answering the question. 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg indicated that NATO would now focus its efforts on assisting Kiev's self-protection.

The White House: The time is not right to accept Ukraine's accession to NATO.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that the procedures for Ukraine's accession to NATO were inappropriate.

The process in Brussels should begin at a later date because, in our judgement, the best way to help Ukraine right now is by tangible support on the ground, Sullivan told reporters.

At the same time, he stressed that the United States did not refuse to support NATO's "open door" policy.

He added : 

"All accession decisions must be taken between the 30 Member States and those wishing to join."

Earlier on Friday, after the accession of the Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk and the provinces of Kherson and Zaporoje to Russia, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that Kiev would apply to join NATO urgently.

Medvedev: Ukraine's request to join NATO begging "to accelerate the start of a third world war"

The Vice-President of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, considered that Ukraine's urgent attempt to join NATO was Okerni's request to "accelerate the start of a third world war".

Medvedev wrote on his telegram channel: "Zelensky wants to accelerate NATO accession. Great idea. It simply begs NATO to accelerate the start of a third world war ".

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had announced that Kiev would apply for NATO membership urgently.