Biden says Ukraine is ‘NOT ready’ to join NATO as he leaves for 2023 summit in Lithuania

Joe Biden said Ukraine should not yet be admitted to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) until its war with Russia ends.

Ukraine, as it continues to fend off Russian aggression, awaits an invitation to join NATO, but Biden and other allies aren’t so sure about the prospects.

President Biden asserts that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal in invading Ukraine in February 2022 was to break NATO once and for all, and insisted that the main goal should be to stop that effort.

‘I don’t think so [Ukraine is] ready for NATO membership,’ Biden said during a foreign policy-focused interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS that aired Sunday morning.

Biden left the United States Sunday morning for the 2023 NATO Summit in Lithuania after spending the weekend at his beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

He said there is a division within NATO over members’ uncertainty of bringing Ukraine into the fold amid its war with Russia.

Speaking to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden said Ukraine needs to end its war with Russia before being admitted to NATO.

“I spent, as you know, a lot of time trying to keep NATO together because I believe [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has had an overwhelming goal from the moment he sent 185,000 troops to Ukraine, and that was to break NATO,” Biden explained. ‘He was sure that he could break NATO. So keeping NATO together is really critical.”

“I don’t think there is unanimity in NATO on whether or not to include Ukraine in the NATO family now, at this time, in the middle of a war.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging NATO to send a “clear signal” during this week’s summit on whether the country will be admitted.

Delaware Democratic Senator Chris Coons also told CBS anchor Margaret Brennan on Sunday morning that NATO cannot admit Ukraine at this time.

He said the war with Russia must first be “resolved” with Ukraine the victor before NATO can consider adding them to the treaty.

“They are on track to join the EU … which sets the stage for NATO membership in the future,” Coons said during his interview on CBS Face the Nation.

In Biden’s rare interview with CNN, the president managed to avoid answering any tough questions involving his son Hunter or the White House cocaine discovery.

Host Zakaria kept the focus on foreign policy, but never once asked Biden about his son, despite growing public sentiment that the president was “probably involved” in Hunter’s foreign dealings.

The interview was recorded on Friday, July 7, at the White House as Biden prepares to attend the 2023 NATO Summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania.

It was also the first time Biden had participated in an interview since the US Secret Service found a white powdery substance at the White House last Sunday that turned out to be cocaine. Online trolls immediately blamed Hunter for bringing the illicit drug into the White House.

Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal in invading Ukraine last February was to break NATO, saying the main goal is to prevent that from happening.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants and hopes to be admitted to NATO and wants the summit to produce a ‘clear signal’ as to where the application stands.

Joe Biden’s rare interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria did not include any questions about the president’s son Hunter Biden or the discovery of cocaine at the White House last week.

Biden, in slip-on sneakers, entered Air Force One via the stairs under his belly instead of taking the much longer and grander ladder truck. Critics have noted that the president has stopped taking the longest ladder after a series of fumbles and missteps that add to doubts about his fitness for office.

Despite questions about the incident last week, Biden was not asked any questions related to the cocaine discovery and the ongoing investigation into the matter. She has also ignored questions on the subject from members of the press during public appearances.

There were also no questions about the president’s 52-year-old son, who remains under multiple investigations related to his years of business abroad and accusations of using his father’s position for his family’s enrichment and financial gain.

Meanwhile, a new Rasmussen survey published Sunday shows that 58 percent of Americans think President Biden was at least “very or somewhat likely” involved in his son Hunter’s foreign dealings.

The poll conducted June 28-29 and July 2 shows just 14 percent think it’s “not very likely” and 19 percent say it’s “not at all likely” that Biden is involved.

Biden also wasn’t forced to face questions about his son’s recent plea deal reached with the Justice Department that will allow him to avoid jail time.

Hunter Biden pleads guilty to two tax-related charges and has agreed to probation on a separate charge for lying on a federal form to purchase a firearm. He checked a box indicating that he was not using or addicted to any illegal drugs at the time of the gun purchase, while the timelines detailed in his own book indicate otherwise.

A public outcry ensued over the news of the deal with claims of preferential treatment due to who the defendant’s father is.

The interview aired the same day a new Rasmussen poll revealed that 58% of likely voters believe President Biden was involved in Hunter’s foreign dealings.

The cocaine was discovered at the White House last week, dwarfing the usual Fourth of July celebrations. Online trolls immediately said Biden’s addicted son Hunter was to blame for bringing the illegal drug onto the property.

Zakaria kept all questions focused primarily on foreign policy, apart from an age-related question at the end of the interview. The president was not faced with any difficult questions related to his son Hunter.

During the interview for CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS program which airs Sunday morning, the president discussed sending ammunition aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia, his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin and the next NATO Summit.

Zakaria kept all questions related to foreign policy until the end of the interview, where he discussed how age has become a central issue for the 2024 presidential race.

Instead of arguing why he is fit for office or further dismissing concerns about his age or physical and mental abilities, Biden said: “I just want to get the job done.” And I think we can do that in the next six years.’