Sunday shows preview: Ukraine admittance to NATO remains in limbo after summit; 2024 GOP race takes shape

The pushback on Ukraine’s potential admission into NATO at this week’s summit and the crowded field in the 2024 Republican primary race are likely to dominate the Sunday talk show circuit this weekend.

While Western allies reaffirmed their unified support for Ukraine at the NATO summit in Lithuania, a formal invitation to join the alliance does not appear to be forthcoming for Kyiv.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby, who is set to join “Fox News Sunday” this weekend, said on Tuesday that Ukrainian membership in the security alliance isn’t likely to happen soon, noting that such a move would automatically place NATO at war with Russia.

While NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg affirmed the alliance’s plans to eventually offer Kyiv an invitation, he also declined to provide a specific timeline and said the offer would be made when “conditions are met.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday slammed the lack of a timeline for his country’s membership as “unprecedented and absurd.” 

“It seems there is no readiness neither to invite Ukraine to NATO nor to make it a member of the Alliance,” Zelensky said. “This means that a window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine’s membership in NATO in negotiations with Russia. And for Russia, this means motivation to continue its terror.”

He struck a more conciliatory tone on Wednesday, noting that Ukraine has already come a “long way in interoperability” with the alliance and praising its decision to remove a procedural hurdle for Kyiv to eventually join.

“We can state that the results of the summit are good, but if there had been an invitation, they would have been perfect,” Zelensky added.

President Biden vowed at the conclusion of the NATO summit on Wednesday that the U.S. and its allies would not “waver” in their support for Ukraine, despite the lack of a formal invitation to join the alliance.

“We will not waver. I mean that,” Biden said. “Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken. We will stand for liberty and freedom today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes. We all want this war to end on just terms.”

Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, is set to make the rounds on the Sunday talk shows this weekend to discuss the NATO summit and the war in Ukraine, among other national security issues.

The crowd of candidates vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination will also likely be a topic of discussion on the Sunday shows, as the first GOP primary debate nears and campaigns announce their second quarter fundraising figures ahead of Saturday night’s deadline. 

Former President Trump, who is set to join Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” this weekend, continues to lead the pack in the polls. A recent Morning Consult poll showed Trump leading his closest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, by 39 points.

Amid the former president’s strong polling numbers, it remains unclear whether he will participate in the Republican presidential primary debates, the first of which is scheduled for late next month in Milwaukee.

Jason Miller, a longtime adviser to Trump, said on Tuesday that it is “unlikely” the former president will take the debate stage in the primary but noted that he has not made a final decision yet.

“It really wouldn’t make much sense for him to go and debate right now with a bunch of folks who are down at three, four and five percent,” Miller told NewsNation’s “The Hill.” “Even Ron DeSantis, who’s the second-place candidate in the race currently, is at least 20, 30 or 40 points behind.”

The Trump campaign and political action committee also announced a massive $35 million fundraising haul for last quarter, on top of the $18 million raised in the first quarter. 

DeSantis’ team said it raised $20 million in the first six weeks of the Florida governor’s campaign, while former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley’s campaign said it brought in $7.3 million in the second quarter and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott’s team said it raised $6.1 million.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who will join ABC and CNN this weekend, has raised $1.65 million in the almost month that he’s been in the race. The super PAC backing him also reportedly brought in almost $5.9 million, according to NBC.

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” — National security adviser Jake Sullivan; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican presidential candidate; former Sens. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.)

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Jake Sullivan; Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Jake Sullivan; Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas); Mesa, Arizona, Mayor John Giles; IAC Chairman Barry Diller

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Jake Sullivan; Christie; Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.); Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.)

“Fox News Sunday” — National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby; Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)

Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — former President Trump; former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.); Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law professor emeritus and author of “Get Trump”