But immediate issue is it remains an independent nation in the face of Russia’s invasion HELSINKI: NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance in the “long-term,” but stressed that the immediate issue is it remaining an independent nation in the face of Russia’s invasion. “NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a member of our alliance, but at the same time that is a long-term perspective,” Stoltenberg told reporters during a visit to Finland’s capital Helsinki.