NATO: Trump Rules Out Ukraine’s Membership

US President Donald Trump has once again ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Alliance, saying he believes it was “the reason for the war” with Russia. Speaking at a press conference in Washington with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump said that “even before Vladimir Putin, Russia made it clear that it would never accept Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and I think that’s what caused the war: Biden and Zelensky said so, and that’s how the conflict started.”

Later, speaking to a small group of reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, Trump said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue of peace: “I agree that Russia is open to the prospect of peace in Ukraine,” Trump said, adding that “excluding Russia from the G7 was a mistake.”

“I would like to see Moscow back in the group,” the American president said.

Prior to Trump’s statements, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, during which they emphasized “the need for a diplomatic approach to end the war with Russia.” The US diplomatic chief, according to a State Department statement, “reaffirmed Washington’s support for regional stability” and said “the conflict must end with negotiations that can lead to sustainable peace.”