Phnom Penh (FN), Mar. 14 – NATO has 3.44 million active military personnel, or 2.11 million without the US. Ukraine’s entry would raise the total to 4.32 million. A US withdrawal would leave a major gap, increasing pressure to expedite Ukraine’s NATO membership.

In 2008, NATO agreed that Ukraine could join the alliance. In 2017, Ukraine reinstated NATO membership as a strategic goal, and in 2020, Zelenskyy approved a National Security Strategy outlining the path to membership. In 2024, allies reaffirmed Ukraine’s future in NATO but stressed the need for its independence amid Russia’s invasion.

A US exit would force Europe to strengthen Baltic defences with heavy arms, while NATO members have ramped up defence spending in response to security concerns.

This article was first published on Voronoiapp.
=FRESH NEWS