KYIV: Ahead of the NATO summit scheduled in Washington next month, Ukraine is advocating for a decisive outcome that could pave the way for its future membership in the military alliance, Volodymyr Zelensky’s foreign policy adviser, Ihor Zhovkva, told Reuters.
Zhovkva emphasized Ukraine’s expectation for practical results from the summit, asserting that a lack of strong decisions concerning Ukraine would render the summit ineffective. “I think this summit deserves to have a strong decision, including on Ukraine. Because, I mean, if you are having a lack of strong decisions on Ukraine, the summit will be useless,” he stated in Kyiv.
Zhovkva highlighted President Zelensky’s previous calls for a political invitation to join NATO. Zelensky has consistently advocated for Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations, urging that this year’s summit address the invitation issue definitively.
Despite expectations from Ukrainian officials, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Washington have tempered anticipations, clarifying that no invitation for wartime Kyiv to join NATO is anticipated at the upcoming summit. Stoltenberg, however, has indicated NATO’s intention to demonstrate Ukraine’s progress towards membership.
The formulation of a consensus among NATO’s 32 member states remains crucial for any decisions regarding Ukraine’s NATO path, Zhovkva acknowledged. “Any decision NATO takes (requires) consensus. And we all know this, and we do understand that maybe this time, consensus will be formed again (on) the last day before the summit,” he commented.
Regarding recent reports suggesting conditions tied to US military aid, Zhovkva did not provide an official response but underscored the significance of Ukraine’s accession talks with the European Union, which were officially launched in Luxembourg. Describing it as a “huge boost” for Ukrainians amidst ongoing conflict, Zhovkva affirmed that the path towards EU membership is now perceived as irreversible.
“People are waiting now for positive decisions in terms of European integration,” Zhovkva stated, reflecting Ukrainian sentiments amid the ongoing conflict, which continues to be a major geopolitical concern in Europe.
