While visiting Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky, Zelensky himself also made demands. He wants security guarantees from NATO as he moves towards NATO membership. “The time has come to make a decision”, says the Ukrainian president, in view of a “historic” NATO summit in July. “There is no objective reason not to take the political decision to invite Ukraine to NATO,” Zelensky said.
“There is no objective reason not to take the political decision to invite Ukraine to NATO”
Zelensky himself was also invited to the summit. The “security guarantees” that Zelenski wants will also be the order of the day, Stoltenberg confirmed. Although the head of NATO did not want to give those guarantees yet, he said the symbolic words that NATO is on Ukraine’s side “today, tomorrow and for as long as necessary”.
Zelensky wants fighter planes
In addition to NATO membership, Zelensky and Stoltenberg also discussed arms supplies from Western countries. For example, the Ukrainian president wants Stoltenburg’s help in pressuring countries to supply modern fighter planes. Furthermore, Zelensky also wants more long-range weapons, artillery and armored vehicles.
In September 2022, Ukraine has already submitted an application for accelerated admission to NATO. He did so after Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed four Ukrainian regions previously occupied by Russian soldiers.
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