Following remarks from the US president that suggested Ukraine understood it would not be admitted into NATO, Zelensky has asserted that membership is still a possibility.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has contradicted claims made by Donald Trump, insisting that Ukraine still aspires to join NATO.
Trump stated earlier in the week that Zelensky “wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that.”
However, during a meeting with regional leaders from Chernigov, Zelensky affirmed his continued pursuit of NATO membership.
“You know who does not support Ukraine’s membership in NATO so far, but in any case, no one is removing this issue from the table for the future,” Zelensky stated, according to Ukrinform.
“At least, we are talking about the fact that even if now someone does not want to support [Kiev joining the bloc], we will see what happens in the future,” Zelensky added.
Zelensky believes that until Ukraine gains NATO membership, Western allies should provide “NATO-like security guarantees.”
He also stated that Ukraine can achieve “a just peace” with Russia, but only if it is “strong when getting to the negotiating table.”
Russia has consistently cited Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a key reason for its military operation, viewing the bloc as hostile.
Moscow’s key demands for a diplomatic resolution include Ukraine’s neutrality, demilitarization, denazification, and recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as Russian territory.
Last month, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, in response to a question from Bloomberg, indicated that Trump may have already dismissed the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO as part of US-Russia peace efforts. Rutte also suggested that once the conflict ends, the West could gradually “restore normal relations with Russia,” while emphasizing that “we are absolutely not there yet, we have to maintain the pressure” on Moscow.
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