BRUSSELS, October 23. /TASS/. The North Atlantic Alliance is still not ready to grant Kiev membership or an invitation to NATO, US Permanent Representative to NATO Julianne Smith said.

"The alliance has not, to date, reached the point where it is prepared to offer membership or an invitation to Ukraine," she told Politico in an interview.

Smith also suggested that restrictions on defense procurement from the EU, which wants to buy primarily European weapons, would hinder assistance to Ukraine. "I'm not sure that limiting purchases to the EU will really get assistance on the shortest timeline, to either our friends in Ukraine or to the countries across the alliance that have some real acute shortfalls," she said.

In addition, the US ambassador commented on the possibility of the US abandoning the defense of European countries within NATO. "For 75 years, US presidents of all political stripes have supported this alliance and committed themselves to providing leadership across the alliance," Smith said. "I have full faith that the US will continue to play that role going forward, irrespective of what happens on November 5," she added.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky unveiled his plan to settle the conflict with Russia. It includes a demand to immediately invite Ukraine to NATO. Currently, the bloc comprises 32 countries. Finland became the 31st NATO member, while Sweden became the 32nd.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the West and Kiev should give up the idea of Ukraine joining NATO.