Germany's defence minister said he understood Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's frustration over the slow process of NATO membership, but insisted that certain requirements must be met to join.
"I understand the displeasure and impatience. Especially given the situation Ukraine is in - I have full sympathy," Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told German public broadcaster ARD on Tuesday night.
"And yet: The commitment is there. Ukraine will become a member of NATO as soon as the preconditions are met. This is an agreement that has never existed in such clarity before."
Zelensky had earlier launched a broadside at NATO leaders gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania, saying it was "unprecedented and absurd" that Ukraine had not been given a membership timeline.
Zelensky, who is in Vilnius, went on to slam the reticence as "weakness" and said he would point this out to NATO leaders during his talks.
The leaders are tying a potential invitation to Ukraine's military becoming more interoperable with the armed forces of NATO allies and "additional democratic and security sector reforms," according to a declaration adopted at the summit on Tuesday.
The alliance reaffirmed however that "Ukraine's future is in NATO," and said it would support Kiev on its reform path, with NATO foreign ministers to frequently assess Ukraine's progress.
NATO states agreed in 2008 that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance.
As a rule however, NATO allies do not allow the accession of countries who are involved in an ongoing territorial dispute, since this would drag the alliance into the conflict, in this case with Russia.
