Ukraine pushes Nato for invite as Trump looms

BRUSSELS, Belgium: Ukraine insisted on Tuesday that Nato membership was the only “real guarantee” for its security, but foreign ministers from the alliance sidestepped Kyiv´s push for an invite ahead of Donald Trump´s return to the US presidency.

Trump has vowed to press for a quick deal to end Russia´s war, leaving Kyiv scrambling to position itself ahead of his January inauguration.

Ukraine´s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said getting security guarantees from the Western alliance and supplies of key weaponry are prerequisites for Kyiv to start talking about halting its fight.

“We are convinced that the only real guarantee of security for Ukraine, as well as a deterrent to further Russian aggression against Ukraine and other states, is Ukraine´s full membership in Nato,” the foreign ministry in Kyiv said.

Until now, the leaders of Nato heavyweights the United States and Germany have backed away from Ukrainian membership out of fear it could drag the alliance into a war with Russia.

Diplomats said that with the administration of US President Joe Biden on its way out and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz´s future in doubt ahead of elections, Kyiv hoped their foreign ministers could have more leeway.

On the US side, Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave no indication of a policy shift on his last planned visit to Nato -- with officials saying privately the Biden administration will not back Ukraine´s push as they believe any offer would be rescinded by the president-elect.