The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, is always obliged to demand more than Western countries, but the real prospect of this country’s accession to NATO is the time after the end of the war, said Paweł Szrot, head of the presidential office, in the First Program of Polish Radio.
The second and final day of the NATO summit will take place in Lithuania’s capital. Among the planned events are: inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.
Zelensky’s demands
The head of the President’s Office, Paweł Szrot, was asked on Channel One of Polish Radio whether Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has the right to be disappointed with what is happening in Vilnius.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is actually obliged to demand more than the countries of the West, the countries of the free world, can and want to offer him. His attitude is understandable
said Szrot.
When the Ukrainian president asked for a date for his country’s entry into NATO, Shrot replied that “the date is clear”.
This can happen after a good end of the war, which we mean by the victory of Ukraine and the recovery of all Russian-occupied territories from 2022, but also from 2014 and the two breakaway districts (Ukraine)
– he said.
At the same time, he stressed that Ukraine will decide on what terms it wants to make peace and when it will be ready to do so.
The real perspective of this country’s entry into NATO is the time after the end of the war
said Szrot.
At the same time he pointed out that NATO is a defensive alliance and in Vilnius the member states very clearly stressed that Art. 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, meaning that aggression against any area of the Alliance “shall be repulsed with full force”.
If Ukraine were to be admitted to NATO now, Art. 5 would of course apply, (but) the consequences could be very serious
– added.
Disappointment of Ukrainians
“European Truth” reported that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed disappointment at the decision of the North Atlantic Alliance summit in Vilnius on Ukraine’s membership, which did not include the coveted invitation to Kiev.
According to the head of the Ukrainian foreign ministry, NATO should not “suspend the whole situation and Ukraine when it comes to membership”. He admitted that the decision of the Vilnius summit shortened Kiev’s path to the Alliance.
Also, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the conditions Ukraine must meet to join NATO are no secret – they are about anti-corruption and democratic reform. He admitted that he understood the Ukrainian authorities’ position on the lack of a formal invitation to join the alliance. However, he declined to specify how long the road from Ukraine to NATO might take.
A communiqué from the heads of state and government of the NATO countries stressed that the alliance will defend every inch of the territory of the member states, as well as one billion of their inhabitants, in accordance with Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. It noted that NATO members are committed to “further strengthening political and practical support for Ukraine in the defense of its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
At the same time, it was pointed out that “Ukraine’s path to full Euro-Atlantic integration went beyond the Membership Action Plan (MAP).”
Allies will continue to support Ukraine and review progress in interoperability and required additional democracy and security sector reforms. NATO Foreign Ministers (countries) will regularly review this progress (…). We will be able to invite Ukraine to join the alliance when the allies determine that these conditions have been met
– it was in the communiqué.
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Source: wPolityce