President Zelensky wants Ukraine to receive a political invitation to join NATO when the military alliance holds a summit in Lithuania.
"There is every reason for Ukraine to accept a political invitation to join the alliance," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram today. Zelensky also called on NATO to ensure Ukraine's security if Kiev is not allowed to join the military bloc in the near future.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov earlier expected Kiev to receive a clear signal and a "formula" for NATO membership at the alliance's summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 11-12.
President Zelensky said Kiev was working "to make the decisions taken at the Vilnius summit truly meaningful".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Kiev on May 9. Photo: AFP
President Zelensky signed a NATO application on September 30, 2022, asking the alliance to quickly admit Kiev, after Russia annexed four regions in Ukraine. Kiev had included this goal in its constitution since 2019, despite warnings from Russia that the possibility of NATO deploying forces and weapons on its border would constitute an unacceptable security threat.
President Zelensky said in early May that Ukraine "acknowledged the reality" that it would not be able to join NATO until it ended its conflict with Russia. Western governments such as the US and Germany have also been cautious about admitting Ukraine to NATO, fearing that the move could push the alliance closer to a conflict with Russia.
The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that preventing Ukraine from joining NATO is one of Russia's main goals. Moscow considers NATO's eastward expansion one of the most serious security threats, forcing Russia to launch an operation in Ukraine.
Location of NATO countries. Graphics: Tien Thanh
Nhu Tam (According to Reuters )
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