Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country wants “integrity” in its relationship with NATO.
According to the news agency AFP, the Ukrainian president said this in a conversation with journalists in Prague. The capital of the Czech Republic, before the important summit of the Western military bloc.
President Zelensky is seeking NATO membership for his country, which has been battling a Russian invasion since February 2022.
Ukraine’s president has said his country wants to receive an “invitation” to join the bloc at next week’s NATO summit in Lithuania.
“We need honesty in our relations,” Vladimir Zelensky said at a press conference with Czech President Peter Pavel in Prague.
He said that now is the time to show the “courage and strength of this unity”.
“We need this encouragement,” the Ukrainian president said.
The summit is expected to decide on the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Council. And the alliance’s individual countries commitment to provide security guarantees, including economic and military aid, to Ukraine.
President Zelensky urged NATO to show its “strength and unity” ahead of their summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. And to send a “clear signal” to Ukraine.
Zelensky said that Ukraine does not have any kind of invitation to participate in the NATO summit.
The President of the Czech Republic, Peter Pavel, who has also been the head of NATO’s military committee, said on the occasion that as soon as the war ends, there should be a meeting on Ukraine’s accession to the alliance.
“There, Ukraine will sit on a par with other NATO member states, and communication between the two will reach a new level.”
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