U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting Thursday, and after their discussion, Blinken said the war-torn East European country would eventually become part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Blinken said, "Ukraine will become a member of NATO. Our purpose at the summit is to help build a bridge to that membership."

Blinken says that Ukraine will be joining NATO. Under Article 5, this means that an attack on Ukraine will be considered an attack on the United States. If you want World War 3, vote Biden in November. pic.twitter.com/kv0fyv5zdf

— David Sacks (@DavidSacks) April 4, 2024

Foreign Minister Kuleba, for his part, wants Ukraine to join the 32-member alliance as soon as possible:

Of course, we believe that Ukraine deserves to be a member of NATO and that this should happen sooner rather than later. 

The announcement will almost certainly anger Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has used the possibility of Ukraine joining the organization as part of his excuse to start his current war against the neighboring country.

Many on social media were critical of the idea, arguing that bringing Ukraine into the fold would mean that we would be taking one step closer to world war. NATO Article 5 would require us to take arms against Russia if it continued its attacks against Ukraine once it became a NATO member:

Article 5 provides that if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) was one such critic:

This is completely irresponsible. Ukraine should not join NATO, and to invite them during a war is to invite our nation into war.

Do you want American ground troops in Ukraine? If not, we must push back against the idea that Ukraine should join NATO. https://t.co/FkpPFZxbyP

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 4, 2024

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has a different view, however, saying at the Brussels meeting:

We strongly believe that support to Ukraine should be less dependent on short-term, voluntary offers and more dependent on long-term NATO commitments.

Donald Trump Jr. weighed in, saying such a move would trigger World War 3:

They know that if Ukraine joins NATO, it will immediately trigger World War 3 with Russia - Which is what Joe Biden and the establishment have always wanted. Vote Trump to save America and stop these war mongering psychopaths!!! https://t.co/WD4auWTqDt

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 4, 2024

Blinken's announcement comes as the House Republicans have sparred with the White House and Democrats over a Ukraine aid bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has vowed that a vote will be scheduled after the House returns from recess on April 9.

More NATO:

NATO Chief Proposes 100 Billion Euro Military Aid for Ukraine

It's Final: Sweden Officially Joins NATO

Russian Missile Enters Polish Airspace As Putin Launches Airstrikes Against Ukraine