Zelensky declares that Ukraine has every basis for a political invitation to join NATO

On Tuesday, June 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Vilnius to discuss preparations for the NATO summit. The head of state stressed that there are now all grounds for politically inviting Ukraine to join the Alliance. The Chancellery of the President is working to ensure that the decisions of the NATO summit in Vilnius make sense.

Today, there are all grounds for a political invitation to Ukraine to join NATO. This was stated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. The head of state noted that representatives of the Ukrainian authorities are working to ensure that the decisions of the summit make real sense.

“NATO. Vilnius. Ukraine. There are all grounds for a political invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance. There is a full understanding of security guarantees for Ukraine until accession. We are working with the team to make the decision of the Vilnius summit a truly significant one,” the president noted.

In turn, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine explained that Kyiv will consider the NATO summit in Vilnius a success if the Alliance takes a decisive step towards defining a clear algorithm for Ukraine's accession. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebiinys noted that it would be a tragedy if the 2023 Vilnius summit repeated the 2008 Bucharest summit in terms of the level of disappointment.

“The Vilnius summit can be considered a success if the Allies take a decisive step from vague wording that Ukraine will become a member of NATO, to a clear algorithm that will show how and when this will happen,” Perebyinis said.

The head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that the implementation of Ukraine's irreversible accession to NATO may become a factor of de-escalation, because ultimately Russia will lose the formal reason for war.

“De facto, Ukraine is already a member of NATO and effectively defends its eastern flank. In order to finally recognize this reality, it is necessary to abandon the myths that Russia has been spreading among the members of the Alliance for years, explaining that Ukraine's membership in NATO is the blackest of red lines. This will help overcome Russian blackmail,” concluded the diplomat.

No formal invitation to join the Alliance

The NATO summit will be held in Vilnius on July 11-12. Ukraine expects a clear signal from it about its readiness to join the bloc. The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, announced that such a signal would be sent, but without formally inviting Ukraine to join NATO.

Through the Kyiv region to Vilnius

In defense of Ukraine's accession to NATO, 33 runners organized a Ukrainian-Lithuanian 16-day marathon. The number of participants – 33 was not chosen by chance. This is how many members of the Alliance there would be if Ukraine joined NATO.

“It is very important to convey to Europe and the world that Ukraine is a European state where Ukrainian soldiers give their lives for the values ​​of democracy and freedom of speech. This flag is the flag that stands on the border between Europe and the horde that we call Russia today,” said Stepan Barna.

The end point of the marathon is Vilnius, where on July 11, during the NATO summit, a solemn ceremony of raising the Ukrainian flag will take place.