Ukraine NATO membership contingent on pursuing a protracted war

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, has said that Ukraine cannot join NATO until their conflict with Russia is over, an assertion which has many wondering whether Ukraine's membership is contingent on pursuing a protracted war.

• Ukraine keeps asking for NATO membership, but the West is divided over the country’s accession to the military alliance.
  

  Biden says no NATO membership amid war as more taxes go to Ukraine

  The US is opposed to Ukraine

The alliance appears to be making certain that the war will continue, with NATO military spending having been increased by over 8% this year.

This is the biggest increase in decades and the ninth consecutive year of increases in our defense spending.

So, European Allies and Canada, will have invested over 450 billion extra US dollars since we agreed our defense investment pledge in 2014.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General

Since 2010, the European taxpayers have seen their social safety net so gutted under economically far right austerity demands that there's no money left for social funding.

• The US has ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine, citing its raging war with Russia failure to meet other qualifications, including “democratization.”
  

  Biden: Ukraine cannot join NATO due to war, lagging in democratization

  US President rules out Ukraine’s membership in NATO, citing its war with Russian and the country

In the United States many say that taxpayer money is urgently needed at home to fix economic inequality, aging infrastructure, and a lack of public services.

In Chicago we have a lot of disinvested communities that for them to pick their heads out of their day to day problems, the things afflicting them, and say 'let's go wage war elsewhere'.

I'm not sure they would say such things but, like we said, generations of disinvestment and oppression on the west side would probably push someone over there to maybe not being so keen about sending billions abroad and then keeping them at home.

University Student

If they would take that 100 billion dollars and invest it in things here in the United States that were working for people, instead of lining big businesses pockets, then I'd be all for it.

But you know, and I know, that is not how the United States works.

Chicago Housewife

• US to supply internationally banned cluster munitions to Ukraine.
  

  US to supply internationally banned cluster munitions to Ukraine

  The US has decided, in contravention of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions as part of the latest military aid package.

Opinion polls show that just 40% of Americans, mostly Republicans, think that the US is providing too much aid to Ukraine.

It is a lot of money. Absolutely! But I do believe that propagating US interests around the world and not showing weakness in this moment is is probably a priority. I think in the long term it will offer some benefits.

So I do think it is something I do support, especially being Polish myself, being from Eastern Europe.

Young Chicago Resident

• Inevitable EU recession strikes again
  

  Inevitable EU recession strikes again

  Multiple crises are making it difficult for the European Union to finance new projects. The crises include the conflict in Ukraine, migration and energy supply shortages as well as rising energy costs.

The money for Ukraine comes despite a disastrous anti Russia sanctions campaign, which has backfired into the worst Western inflation in 50 years.

If Ukraine can't join NATO until after the conflict is over, then that means Western leaders want to spend taxpayers' money on Ukraine, but without doing any of the actual fighting.

However, the massive military spending increases the chances of things spiraling out of control and into a larger war.

• US to pour another $500 million worth of weapons into Ukraine war
  

  US to pour another $500 million worth of weapons into Ukraine war

  The United States has planned to send a new shipment of weapons worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Ukraine.

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