Politico columnist Lily Bayer said Western politicians are avoiding the issue of Ukraine joining NATO.

In the article, Bayer calls the topic explosive and notes that many NATO allies try not to even talk about it.

According to the journalist, the statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about joining the alliance under an accelerated procedure caught many of Kyiv's allies by surprise, and caused discontent among some.

Bayer added that for Berlin and Paris, this issue is sensitive and should be avoided for now.

At the end of November, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the organization considers the military support of Ukraine a priority, and not its membership in the alliance.

Earlier, the New York Times wrote that the North Atlantic Alliance would not accept Ukraine into the bloc until the end of hostilities, as this would require a change in the fifth article of the charter on mutual defense.