‘Ukraine will be part of NATO...work to gain membership going on’, says Volodymyr Zelensky
On the eve of the NATO Summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky exuded confidence that the war-torn country will become part of the alliance. In a press statement on Monday night, Zelensky said, "We are still working on the wording, that is, on the specific words of such confirmation, but we already understand the fact that Ukraine will be in the alliance...And we are working to make the algorithm for gaining membership as clear and fast as possible". European diplomats said that the Western allies of Kyiv are still finalising a joint framework that would pave the way for long-term security assurances for Ukraine, and may wait until the end of a NATO summit this week to announce them.
Negotiations among NATO members were ongoing over when and whether to issue a formal invitation, what conditions Ukraine would have to meet, and how its progress should be tracked. But NATO leaders remain divided over offering Ukraine a clear route into the alliance in Vilnius. While Eastern allies are pushing for Kyiv to get an explicit commitment on when it can join, the United States and Germany are reluctant to go beyond an earlier vow that Ukraine will become a member one day.
Zelenskiy said the Vilnius summit must confirm Ukraine is already 'de facto' a member of NATO as it has its weapons and shares values with the alliance. "Even if different positions are voiced, it is still clear that Ukraine deserves to be in the alliance," Zelensky said. Not now - there is a war, but we need a clear signal.
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