NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that there is no change regarding Ukraine's path to joining the alliance, reports "Euronews" on Wednesday.
Rutte said the priority at this stage is to put Ukraine in a position to negotiate the best possible deal in any future negotiations with Russia.
"We are in close contact with the allies, with Ukraine, to see how we can take the next steps, Rutte said, declining to provide details. NATO membership is a sovereign right that any country that is in some way part of our geography can claim. The only ones who decide on this are the 32 members who are already in NATO."
We remind you that in a speech before the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his "Plan for Victory" and strongly criticized the support Russia receives from North Korea, Iran and China. He was particularly harsh about North Korea, calling it part of the "coalition of criminals" led by Putin.
Zelensky said that Ukrainian intelligence has evidence of not only the supply of weapons from North Korea to Russia, but also of sending North Korean workers to Russian factories, as well as fighters to the front in Ukraine. "These are workers who replace the Russians killed in the war,", he stressed.
Zelensky includes several key points for ending the war with the support of Western partners. According to the president, it is realistic for the war to end next year, provided Ukraine is invited to NATO and restrictions on strikes by Western weapons on recognized Russian territory are lifted. So far, Western countries have shown no sign that they are ready to make either of these two conditions.
Zelensky said Ukraine's Western allies must deter Russia from any further aggression by showing Moscow that there will be consequences.
"Ukraine proposes to deploy on its territory a comprehensive non-nuclear strategic deterrent package that will be sufficient to protect Ukraine from any military threat from Russia," he said.
He said there is also a secret addition to that part of the plan and did not elaborate on what the proposed deterrence entails.
The plan also includes economic growth and cooperation and a post-war security architecture.
Three secret supplements are also included, which are shared with international partners. David Arahamiya, parliamentary leader of the ruling party, said the secret parts would be presented to parliamentary group leaders.
Zelensky emphasized the need to bring the war into Russian territory, such as during the cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast that began in early August. This will prevent the creation of possible "buffer zones" on Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky also presented a long-term vision for the role of the Ukrainian military in Europe after the war. He proposed that Ukrainian forces, which have gained significant combat experience, replace parts of the US armed forces stationed in Europe, if the partners agree to this idea. This would be a sign of confidence in Ukraine's ability to be a strong and reliable partner in European defense.
Russia has condemned the "victory plan", arguing that it seeks to push NATO into direct conflict with Moscow. The spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova stressed that the plan of the Ukrainian head of state will lead to a catastrophe for the Ukrainian people.
"I can just tell Zelensky if he is not aware. The partners of the Kyiv regime have already shown how they see Ukraine in the security architecture: they see Ukraine in a coffin and Ukrainian citizens also in the grave.", Zakharova pointed out.
Russia has long accused the West of using Ukraine to wage a proxy war against Moscow. The United States and its NATO allies say they are helping Ukraine defend itself against unjustified colonial-style land grabs.
The Kremlin announced that it is too early to comment on Zelensky's plan in detail, but that Kiev should "sober down" and realize the futility of the policies he follows.
Ukraine wants NATO membership invitation before Joe Biden leaves the White House. According to Kyiv's ambassador to the Alliance, Natalia Galibarenko, it would be a fitting legacy for the US president. "Our idea is that inviting Ukraine at this time is a political signal," she said.
The US presidential election next month creates great uncertainty for Kiev, as Washington is the largest provider of military aid to Ukraine for its war against Russia.
Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris signaled continued support for Ukraine, but did not specify the level of that support. Former Republican President Donald Trump did not give a clear request on how he would approach the war.
Membership in NATO would make Ukraine part of the US-led alliance's mutual defense pact. This means that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, even though the accession process may take years to adapt to NATO standards.
NATO has announced that Ukraine will join its ranks and the country's path to the Alliance is irreversible. However, the military alliance indicated that Kiev cannot become a member while at war and refused to set a timetable for joining.
Most NATO member states, including its dominant power, the United States, have shown no desire to extend an invitation to join Ukraine at this stage.
A senior US government official said last week there was no change in Washington's position.