Ukraine’s membership in NATO would be a guarantee against new Russian aggression, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a conversation with journalists, quoted by UNIAN. According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin would hardly decide to wage war against Ukraine if the country became part of the North Atlantic Alliance.
“I am not sure that Putin would be ready to wage war against NATO with Ukraine as part of it,” Zelensky said. He added that such a scenario would be significantly more difficult for Moscow and would have a deterrent effect.
Kyiv wants guarantees based on the model of Article 5
The Ukrainian president described the collective responsibility of NATO member states as the Alliance’s main advantage. According to him, the obligation of member countries to act together in the event of a threat reduces the likelihood that Russia will launch a new attack against Ukraine.
Kyiv insists that future security arrangements should include mechanisms similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. This provision stipulates that an attack against one ally is to be considered an attack against all NATO members.
However, Zelensky pointed out that the guarantees being discussed with the US side do not provide for the presence of American military personnel on Ukrainian territory. “These are bilateral security guarantees,” he recounted the explanation he had received.
The arrangements between the US and Israel, as well as similar agreements with other countries, were cited as examples. The Ukrainian president stressed that Kyiv needs more than just political declarations—it needs specific conditions defining how its partners will respond in the event of new aggression.
Zelensky: Clear commitments are necessary
According to him, general formulations about guarantees “similar to NATO” are not enough if it is unclear how they will be implemented in practice. Zelensky said that the Alliance’s real collective response had been demonstrated following the terrorist attacks in the US in September 2001, when the allies acted together.
The statement comes against the backdrop of discussions about Ukraine’s future security guarantees and the conditions under which the war could be ended. According to the information presented by UNIAN, Kyiv continues to insist that its protection be backed by specific commitments, rather than merely by analogies to NATO.
Sources: unian.net