Zelensky: Ukraine's NATO Membership Would Benefit Both Russia and Europe
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine's accession to NATO could become one way out of the prolonged war and would benefit all sides involved. He stressed that Ukraine's army is currently the strongest in Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explained on Friday, September 11, in Kyiv at the annual YES conference organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, why Ukraine's NATO membership would serve not only Kyiv's interests but also those of Russia and Europe.
Asked by journalists whether he believes in Ukraine's future NATO membership, Zelensky said the topic needs to be discussed constantly, adding that Alliance membership could become one of the ways to end the drawn-out war.
A security guarantee for Europe
The president said Ukraine's NATO membership would serve as a security guarantee for Europe, since Ukraine's army is currently the strongest on the continent. He also referred to the ongoing debate in the United States over whether Washington will increase or reduce its military presence in Europe given the threat from Russia.
As a further argument, Zelensky said Ukraine's accession would strengthen NATO itself — not only through weaponry, but also through Ukrainian military technology, combat experience and army capabilities.
Guarantees for Russia too
Zelensky also addressed the question of so-called "security guarantees for Russia." He said that after talks with Russia, the American side often returns with the position that Ukraine could receive US security guarantees and European financial support, while Russia raises the issue of guarantees for itself.
He called this strange, but also a sign that Russia no longer feels as strong as it did at the start of the war. In his view, Ukraine's NATO membership would create a kind of "guarantee" for Russia, since Ukraine would no longer be able to try to retake occupied territories by military means, leaving territorial issues to be resolved diplomatically. Zelensky concluded that the NATO and EU questions could be one of the ways out of the war.
In early July, Ukraine's ambassador to NATO, Alyona Hetmanchuk, said the goal of joining the Alliance remains unchanged and that more countries are recognizing membership is in NATO's own interest. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently said Alliance members "cannot be naive" about the threat posed by Russia.
