Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on NATO to pave the way for his country to join the Western military alliance at its summit in July. Neither in Ukraine, nor in Europe, nor in NATO would the majority of the population understand if Kiev did not receive a “deserved invitation”, Zelenskyy said last night in his daily video.
He had already hosted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kiev for the first time since the Russian war of aggression began nearly 14 months ago.
The meeting was not just about defending Ukraine, but about “upholding the entire rules-based international order and protecting life,” the president said. Hardly anyone is currently contributing more to Euro-Atlantic security than Ukrainian soldiers. Kiev therefore “did everything to ensure that our request was met”. Several alliance members have reservations about admitting Ukraine.