Finnish President Alexander Stubb suggested that Ukraine should be granted de facto NATO membership, meaning that if Russia violates a future ceasefire or launches another attack, Ukraine would immediately become a member of the alliance.
“Why not give them de facto NATO membership, meaning that when negotiations succeed and a peace deal is signed, if Russia breaks that agreement, Ukraine automatically joins NATO?” Stubb stated in an interview with CNN, as reported by Digi24.
He described the proposal as a strong safety net to ensure Russia adheres to any peace deal.
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This idea was originally introduced by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham at the Munich Security Conference in February. Graham, a close ally of Trump, argued that while immediate NATO accession might not be possible for Ukraine, a clear deterrent must be established.
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A European summit on Ukraine is set to take place in Brussels this week, where defense cooperation will be a key topic.
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Although Finland’s proposal may face resistance, it signals growing European willingness to support Ukraine in deterring future Russian aggression.
If implemented, it could reshape NATO’s strategy and reinforce the West’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
It’s a solid start, but it really should just be predicated on a peace deal itself as the disqualification logic used before isn’t applicable at that point. Joining NATO should always be done in peace time, including before and not at the start of the inevitable subsequent war with Russia.