Zelensky Confident in Ukraine’s Path to NATO
President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed strong confidence that Ukraine will join NATO, following the alliance’s affirmation of the country’s “irreversible” progress toward membership.
“We have clear and strong statements about Ukraine’s inevitable journey towards NATO. Each step we take brings us closer,” Zelensky said during a news conference at a NATO summit, standing alongside the alliance’s chief, Jens Stoltenberg.
Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to achieving NATO membership. “We are doing everything necessary to ensure that the day comes when Ukraine is invited to join NATO. I am confident we will succeed,” he stated.
This sentiment marked a significant shift from the previous year’s NATO summit in Lithuania, where Zelensky expressed frustration over the lack of a definitive membership promise.
NATO, established during the Cold War, operates on the principle of collective defense: an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all.
Despite the alliance’s support for Ukraine, some members, particularly the United States and Germany, have reservations about rapidly integrating Ukraine into NATO. They are concerned it could lead to direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.
A declaration from the recent 75th anniversary NATO summit in Washington reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s “irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has used Ukraine’s NATO ambitions as a justification for his invasion, arguing against Ukraine’s separate historical identity from Russia.
