US President Joe Biden in an exclusive interview with CNN said that Ukraine is not yet ready to join NATO, saying that the war with Russia must first end before the alliance can consider this possibility.

Speaking to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, he said that while talk of Ukraine’s impending NATO membership is premature, the US and its allies will continue to provide Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his forces with the security and weapons they need to end the war with Russia.

“I don’t think there is unanimity in NATO on whether or not Ukraine should join the NATO family right now, right now, in the middle of a war,” Biden said. “For example, if we did that, then, you know – and I mean what I say – we’re determined to seize every centimeter of territory that is NATO territory. It is a commitment we have all made no matter how or what. If the war continues, then we are all at war. We are at war with Russia.”

Biden also said he spoke with Zelensky at length about the issue, saying he told the Ukrainian president that the U.S. would continue to provide security and arms for Ukraine as it does for Israel as the process unfolds.

“I think we have to carve out a rational path for Ukraine to be able to qualify to be able to join NATO,” Biden said, noting that he refused Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands before the war that Ukraine not be admitted. Ukraine. The alliance has “an open door policy”.

“But I think it’s premature to say, to call for a vote, you know, right now, because there are other conditions that need to be met, including democratization and some of these issues,” Biden said.

Last Friday, the White House announced that the US had sent cluster munitions to Ukraine for the first time, a step taken to help bolster Ukraine’s munitions as it mounts a counteroffensive against Russia. Biden told Zakaria that it was a “difficult decision” to give Ukraine the controversial ammunition, but he said he was convinced it was necessary because Ukraine had run out of ammunition.

At the same time, Joe Biden was also mentioned in the possible accession of Sweden to NATO saying he is optimistic that will happen, noting that the key advantage is that Turkey is seeking to modernize its F-16 fleet, along with Greece, which voted to accept Sweden.

“Turkey is looking to modernize F-16 aircraft. And (Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos) Mitsotakis in Greece is also looking for some help,” Biden said. “And so what I’m trying, frankly, to put together is a little consortium here where we strengthen NATO in terms of the military capability of both Greece and Turkey, and we allow Sweden to come in. But this is all in progress. Nothing has been done.”