Trudeau expresses support for Ukraine’s NATO membership as allies weigh the country’s admission

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will push for Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at a summit this week in Latvia, where member states will consider the possibility of admitting Ukraine to the treaty organization.

“We strongly believe that Ukraine should join NATO as soon as conditions allow,” Trudeau told reporters in Adazi, Latvia, on July 10, as he and Defense Minister Anita Anand prepared for Meet with a number of allies at this week’s NATO leadership summit.

Mr. Trudeau added that Ukraine’s entry into NATO is also supported by Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and some of Canada’s other Baltic allies, but added that not all NATO allies are in favor of the initiative.

“It is not so unanimous within NATO,” the prime minister told reporters.

“In other NATO member states, this enthusiasm is not as strong as in Canada,” Trudeau later added in French. “But in general, our allies are very inclined for Ukraine’s future.”

He added that talks among NATO members on the matter are “ongoing”, but also said he believes there will be “very good news” on July 11.

Mr. Trudeau made similar remarks when he addressed the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv in June.

“It must be Ukraine’s choice how to defend itself and its people,” Mr. Trudeau told Ukrainian parliamentarians on June 10. “That is why Canada supports greater cooperation with NATO through the NATO-Ukraine Council. And we will continue to support Ukraine to join NATO as soon as circumstances allow.”

However, NATO leaders have been divided on granting Ukraine membership to the alliance, with member states such as the United States and Germany previously expressing concern that the move could spark direct conflict between NATO and Russia.

NATO members in Eastern Europe have supported Ukraine’s entry into the alliance.

“No final decision has been taken yet, but I am absolutely confident that we will be united at the summit and send a strong message on Ukraine,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference on July 10.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Ukraine to join NATO at this week’s leaders’ summit, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a Twitter post that the summit “is the best time to clarify the invitation to become Ukraine [a] member.”

Reuters contributed to this report.