Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, stated on the 14th (local time) that he could abandon the intention to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if there is security assurance from the United States and Europe. For Ukraine, which has been eager to become a NATO member to counter Russia’s security threats, this marks a significant shift in stance.
According to foreign reports, President Zelensky made these comments in an online voice message exchange with the press before arriving in Berlin, Germany, for discussions on a peace plan with major countries in the US and Europe.
He stated, “Ukraine’s desire to join NATO was initially for genuine security assurance,” adding, “Some partners in the US and Europe did not support this direction.”
He continued, “Currently, bilateral security guarantees like NATO’s Article 5 from the US, and security assurances from European colleagues, as well as Canada and Japan, are needed.”
President Zelensky emphasized that these security guarantees must be legally binding and supported by the US Congress, and he looks forward to receiving further updates on this after the meeting in Germany.
In 2019, Ukraine amended its constitution to define joining the EU and NATO as strategic goals, putting significant effort into becoming a NATO member state. Russia, likewise, has considered NATO’s eastward expansion a major security threat and has criticized Ukraine’s push for NATO membership.
However, the Trump administration repeatedly stated that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not possible. Moreover, since Russia claims Western military deployment in Ukraine is absolutely intolerable, it’s unclear if the Trump administration would agree to NATO Articles similar to Article 5 regarding collective defense.
Due to these complexities, Professor Andrew Michta from the University of Florida downplayed the issue by stating, “At this point, Ukraine’s NATO membership is not even an issue.”