BREAKING: US officials to tell Zelensky that Ukraine is too corrupt to join NATO at this time: report

The US will reportedly tell Ukraine it's too corrupt to join the NATO alliance at its annual summit in Washington, DC next week, according to a senior official in the US State Department. NATO will be requiring "additional steps" from Volodymyr Zelensky before his country's membership will be considered.

“We have to step back and applaud everything that Ukraine has done in the name of reforms over the last two-plus years,” the official told The Telegraph. “As they continue to make those reforms, we want to commend them, we want to talk about additional steps that need to be taken, particularly in the area of anti-corruption. It is a priority for many of us around the table."

Zelensky has been pushing for Ukraine to be granted membership in the alliance since Russia's invasion in 2022. However, since then, corruption within his country and military has also been exposed. The president has tried to take action by sacking multiple high-ranking military and government officials, however much of the financial aid that has been sent to Kyiv by allies has remained unaccounted for. 

Despite this, NATO officials have indicated they will be establishing posts in Kyiv and Germany — where US troops will be provided — that would help fortify Ukraine's relationship with the alliance. Additionally, 20 countries have signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, something that is expected to be celebrated at the summit.

Still, the alliance will reportedly fall short of offering Ukraine full membership, and a list of "additional steps" required will be provided to Zelensky in writing in the NATO Communique and will be signed at the summit on July 9.