President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy Photo: Johanna Geron/ Reuters
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is realistic, but Kyiv will have to make significant efforts to convince the Alliance member states to make the decision. He said this on Sunday during a speech to Ukrainian diplomats, Reuters reports.
Ukraine has repeatedly called on NATO to formally invite it to join the Alliance. In response, NATO confirmed that Ukraine will definitely become a member, but the exact date of this step and the official invitation have not yet been determined.
Russia, in turn, has cited the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO as one of the main reasons for its full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022. Ukraine, on the other hand, insists that membership in the Alliance or equivalent security guarantees are critical to any peaceful settlement to prevent future aggression by Moscow.
“We all understand that inviting Ukraine to join NATO and granting it the status of a member of the Alliance is a purely political decision. Joining the Alliance is achievable, but it is only possible if we fight for this decision at all necessary levels,” Zelenskyy said in his speech.
The Head of State added that the allies should understand what Ukraine can contribute to NATO and how its membership will contribute to global stability.
Last week, Zelenskyy called on European countries to provide security guarantees to Ukraine after the war with Russia ends, and stressed that the country needs the protection of NATO membership to ensure long-term stability.
These statements by the President once again underscore the strategic importance of Euro-Atlantic integration for Ukraine and the role the country is ready to play in building a new security order in Europe.
