VILNIUS (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the recent NATO summit but stated that it would have been even more ideal if Kyiv had received an invitation to join the Western military alliance. Zelenskiy highlighted the significance of NATO’s acknowledgment that Ukraine does not require a Membership Action Plan (MAP), emphasizing Ukraine’s progress in aligning itself with the alliance.
“The recognition that Ukraine does not need an action plan for membership on this path (to NATO) is an important result,” said Zelenskiy during a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Vilnius.
Zelenskiy also revealed that Ukrainian soldiers have gained valuable experience through collaboration with various NATO member states. Thousands of Ukrainian troops have undergone training with their Western partners, and Ukraine heavily relies on Western weapons support in its ongoing conflict against Russian forces, who initiated a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
While NATO announced that Ukraine would be welcomed into the alliance, no specific date or conditions were specified. Additionally, the requirement for Kyiv to fulfill a Membership Action Plan (MAP), which entails meeting certain political, economic, and military objectives prior to joining the alliance, was dropped. This effectively removed an obstacle in Ukraine’s path towards NATO membership.
Zelenskiy further shared positive news regarding new defense packages, which he received during his meetings with leaders from Britain, Germany, France, Australia, and the Netherlands in Vilnius.
“We can acknowledge that the summit’s outcomes are good, but they would have been ideal if an invitation was extended,” remarked Zelenskiy.
(Reporting by Olena Harmash and Anna Pruchnicka, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
