Zelenskyy criticises US policy on Ukraine’s NATO membership
Pravda Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that former US president Joe Biden and US policy are the main obstacles to Ukraine’s NATO membership and has suggested that Donald Trump should change this stance.
Source: Zelenskyy during a discussion with American senators at the Munich Security Conference, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over the US leadership’s consistent rejection of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, noting that this position has not changed with the inauguration of the new US president.
Quote from Zelenskyy: “I’ve heard this so many times from the American side, by the way – from the Biden administration, and now from President Trump… But to be very honest, the United States never saw us in NATO. They just spoke about it, but they really didn’t want us in NATO…”
“My first phone call with President Biden and my first question was ‘will we be in NATO’. He said ‘no’. And I said, ‘We’ll see’.”
Details: Zelenskyy emphasised that while there is public and political support for Ukraine’s NATO membership in the US, he has never heard leaders affirm that Ukraine will join NATO.
Quote: “It’s not a question to President Trump… This is a question of policy of the United States, of the White House: Ukraine is not in NATO.”
Details: However, Zelenskyy stressed that he does not consider the reluctance concerning Ukraine’s membership to be absolute: “It doesn’t mean that we can’t change this”.
Quote: “We have a really strong army, which can really make NATO stronger everywhere. And I think this is in both the interests – in the interest of Ukraine and in the interest of NATO.”
Background:
- Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is ready to discuss all aspects of a future peace with the US, including its NATO membership, but it must set red lines.
- Zelenskyy also stated at the Munich Security Conference that the Russians may be preparing aggression against NATO countries as early as next year.
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