The invitation of Ukraine to NATO was a very important moment, which can be compared with the moment of Ukraine's application to the EU.
This was stated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
"As for the invitation, I understand that it is a technical signal, but if we look at it as a serious factor in the motivation of Ukrainian society, it was a very important moment for me as the president," he said.
Zelenskyi admitted that he compares this fact with the moment of Ukraine's application to the EU.
"Candidacy in the EU was also a signal. There is no membership in the EU in the candidacy, but there is a powerful mobilization for Ukraine in the candidacy. There is a powerful signal for Russia: Ukraine is not a member of some other union, but wants to be a member of a specific European Union. And it will specifically an independent state. As for the invitation, this is also a signal," Zelenskyі explained.
He also noted that Ukraine understands why some countries are afraid to talk about our country's membership in NATO. Appropriate conditions are necessary for this.
According to the president, the Ukrainian side understands that it will not be able to become the next member of the North Atlantic Alliance as long as the war with Russia continues on its territory.
"We are adequate people, we understand that some are really afraid to talk about our membership now, no one wants a world war. This is clear and logical... Ukraine understands that it cannot be a member of NATO while the war is going on. We met with many today, "Ukraine will be a member of NATO when the conditions are really appropriate. I mean when it is safe on our land," the president said.
Summit in Vilnius
Within the framework of the first day of the NATO summit, which takes place in Vilnius from July 11 to 12, the member states of the Alliance agreed on 3 elements that should bring the integration of Ukraine closer. It is about:
the multi-year aid program for Ukraine;
creation of the Ukraine-NATO Council;
cancellation of the requirement to implement the MAP.
The agency talked about which countries spoke about inviting Ukraine to the North Atlantic Alliance and why there are still those who fear "escalation".
