More formally known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), NATO is that frat that all the cool kids want to join. The perks and protection that come with being a member of this elite society ensure that more and more countries will continue to covet its membership, possibly for years to come.

All of this is why it’s safe to say that, even if the country of Ukraine wasn't in a desperate fight to keep its sovereignty at this time, it’s quite certain that they would still want to be a part of NATO.

As a matter of fact, were this particular decision left to Ukraine exclusively, there is no doubt that they would have been members of this organization long before now.

However, it’s one thing for them to want to be a part of NATO, and, indeed, even apply for this high-coveted position. But it’s another thing entirely for NATO to acquiesce to this request.

Of course, many proponents of Ukraine joining NATO would argue that this is the next logical move to make, especially as the country is in such desperate need of support from a much higher authority at this time. That is actually all well and good. After all, it is quite noble to help someone in need. Having said that though, it needs to be pointed out that the champions of Ukraine in NATO are essentially neglecting what makes this organization so highly sought-after in the very first place.

Simply put, the one thing that makes NATO membership such a grand prize is because of the clear value that each member of this group offers to each other as well as to the collective. To further simplify this, if each member of this organization didn’t bring something of great value to the table, there is the likelihood that Ukraine wouldn’t be so desperate to join them in the very first place!

And, at this time, anyone that has eyes to see will fully understand that NATO doesn’t benefit much, if anything at all, from allowing Ukraine to join its ranks. If anything, the organization actually loses.

Even now, without Ukraine being an official member of the group, the country has gotten more than $70 billion worth of aid from the organization for its war against Russia. And, should this war drag on for longer (as it’s looking like it will), more resources will be invested in ensuring Ukraine’s victory.

What this translates to is that, even at this time, Ukraine has become a drain of sorts on NATO’s resources and it hasn’t even been made an official partner as yet.

What makes all of this talk of Ukraine joining NATO moot and not a little redundant is the fact that Ukraine doesn’t even yet meet the requirements for joining the organization, to begin with.

For those who aren’t aware, you should know that there are certain political, military, and economic standards that must be met if any nation in the world has any ambition of joining this league of countries.

As Prof Williams, an expert on these matters describes it, Ukraine is still quite far from meeting these standards due to the current state of the nation’s “anti-corruption processes” and “democratic institutions”. He adds, “We are not many years away from Ukrainian elections being pretty corrupt things ... and the massive street protests that tried to put Ukraine on the path towards becoming a modern, liberal, democratic European state. [This] path now looks irrevocable. Putin has guaranteed that. But it is a long path, Ukraine's political institutions have work to do.”

Last but by no means least is the fact that Ukraine joining NATO now (and even anytime in the near future) would be giving the devil (in the person of President Vladimir Putin) what he wants.

Let’s backtrack for a little bit here.

False as they might’ve been at the time, Putin launched his latest attack on Ukraine on the back of accusations that NATO was trying to use the country to infiltrate Russia and ultimately undermine the power and position of the nation.

Right now, it’s clear for even the blind to see that none of that was true, and Putin realizes this too. However, that narrative can be manipulated if Ukraine becomes a member of NATO. Ukraine's alliance with NATO will imply that there was indeed fire behind all that smoke.

Jamie Shea, a former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General says, “[Of the alliance] this would give Putin a massive propaganda boost. Putin is trying super, super hard, even desperately, to convince the Russians that there is an external existential threat from NATO [...] bringing in Ukraine now would just play into the hands of that narrative.”

Right now, that would be a victory propaganda that NATO and the world at large can ill afford to concede.

So, maybe Ukraine joining NATO is an inevitability, and maybe it isn’t.

In either event, the simple truth remains that Ukraine can’t be allowed to join the alliance at this time or any time in the immediate future for that matter. It might seem like a NATO membership will stem the conflict right now. However, without a doubt, it’ll only add more fuel to the fire.