Biden opposes easy entrance for Ukraine into NATO

President Joe Biden has stated that his administration will not make it easy for Ukraine to join NATO, indicating that the country must meet the same standards as other member states. Responding to reporters in Philadelphia, Biden was asked about easing Ukraine's path to joining the transatlantic alliance, likely in reference to the Membership Action Plan, a key obstacle in Ukraine's efforts. Last week, Biden officials said the president was "open to" waiving the requirement for Ukraine, which has launched a counterattack amid Russia's war of aggression. However, Biden stressed that the US has done a lot to ensure Ukraine has the ability to coordinate militarily. Biden also conveyed a positive outlook on US-China relations ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Beijing this weekend. Biden indicated that he would meet with China's President Xi Jinping again "over the next several months" to discuss how to "get along" despite "legitimate differences." Upon arriving in Philadelphia, Biden was greeted by Senator Bob Casey, Representative Brendan Boyle, Governor Josh Shapiro, and Senator John Fetterman. Biden also committed that the federal government would "reimburse 100 percent" of the first phase of I-95 reconstruction, and then "90 percent" of the expenses thereafter. When asked whether he anticipated a contentious presidential campaign, Biden quipped, "It depends on who the nominee is."