'We didn't oppose it' — Rubio denies opposing Zelensky's participation at NATO summit

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 15 denied reports that the United States opposes President Volodymyr Zelensky's participation at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague.

When asked by reporters whether the U.S. opposed Zelensky's participation, Rubio responded: "No, I don't know where that's coming from."

"Multiple members today of our colleagues in there raised Zelensky being invited. We didn't oppose it," Rubio told reporters in Turkey. "Many leaders who are not members of NATO are invited to NATO conferences — they're not at the leaders' meeting, but they're invited to conferences."

Multiple European news agency reported on May 14, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, that allies have agreed that appeasing U.S. President Donald Trump takes priority and have not extended an invitation to Ukraine.

NATO officials have not publicly confirmed the step.

"I don't know where you're getting these reports from," Rubio concluded.

The Ukrainian president has attended every NATO summit since February 2022: in person in 2024 in Washington and 2023 in Vilnius, and virtually in 2022.

Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members for not meeting the alliance's 2% of GDP defense spending benchmark and has pushed for it to be raised to 5%. The U.S. president has also repeatedly said that Ukraine will not immediately join NATO as part of any agreed-upon peace deal.