Should Ukraine be let into NATO?

Pulling Ukraine into NATO while they are at war with Russia would trigger WWIII for all practical purposes

Article five of the NATO pact suggests that an attack on any NATO country is an attack on every NATO country. This triggers the broad concept of all member military being made available to assist that country if that country goes to war.

So it is extremely unlikely that Zelensky can convince anyone to let Ukraine into NATO while they are engaged in a war with Russia. Not unless we want an all out war with Russia (and quite possibly China). It becomes inevitable that if Zelensky wants that coveted spot on the NATO roster, that he will first have to negotiate an end to the war with Putin. The problem is that Zelensky is stubbornly sticking to his guns on the concept of not only winning back the land taken since the start of this conflict, but to go back and retake Crimea (which Russia has controlled since the Obama administration). This isn't going to happen unless things drastically change on the ground.

The second problem with allowing Ukraine into NATO (even after a negotiated settlement) is that Putin will demand that Ukraine "not" be allowed into NATO as part of his terms for ending the war. Most believe that this was the true intention of Putin's actions. He attacked Ukraine to keep them from joining NATO and with an upper hand could make sure that Ukraine stay out of the NATO alliance. I am sure that Putin had a grand illusion of taking Kiev and installing a new leader more aligned with Russia than the west. But that doesn't appear likely anymore either. More likely is an agreement to keep Ukraine neutral for a period of time in exchange for ending the offensive.

So this is why I have a gut feeling that this conflict is going to have to continue until there clearing is a winner and loser in the war. Someone (Zelensky or Putin) is going to have to cave at some point and this would be a serious worldwide humiliation for either man to suffer through. I am not sure that either man has shown an ability to consider the interests of anyone other than themself. For Zelensky, his country is a shell of it's former self and for Putin, he has stretched his military to the limit. The best thing for everyone involved would be to put egos aside and end the conflict. But all that does is put a whole new slew of questions on the table.