Report: NATO Allies Weighing 'Easier' Plan for Ukraine to Join Alliance

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - NATO allies are reportedly weighing a plan that could make it easier for Ukraine to join the military alliance without having to adhere to a Membership Action Plan (MAP) and chances are increasing that the proposal may become official during NATO’s summit in Lithuania.

Citing an official with knowledge of the developments, US media reported Friday that the idea, which has been put forward by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, should hopefully be consensual within the alliance.

Stoltenberg has reportedly advised that allies agree to allow Ukraine to join NATO without adhering to a MAP, which comprises of a series of military and democratic governance reforms that applicant countries must complete prior to accession.

Removing the MAP would only speed up Ukraine's bid to become an ally, however, and does not provide any guarantees that Kiev will receive the unanimous approval needed for membership, the report said.

It's reported that the support of US President Joe Biden, who said earlier this week that he is open to the plan, has the potential to kick-start talks about Ukraine's MAP requirement when NATO meets in Lithuania in July.

Senior diplomats from Eastern Europe have said they also favor the plan, as does German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

However, not all NATO member states are positive about the proposed plan, as they fear that removing the MAP requirement for Ukraine would irritate Russia and increase the potential for the conflict to escalate, the report said.

Some have also raised the issue of the utility of such a move, as it may not do anything practical for Ukraine, while others have expressed worries that Ukraine’s potential membership could be dangerous because it would incentivize Russia to engage in preventive conflict.

Stoltenberg made it clear on Friday that Ukraine would not be given an official invitation to begin accession talks with NATO at the summit in July, according to the report.