Clarification by Zelensky’s Representative: NATO and EU Priority for Ukraine

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The North Atlantic and European course remains a top priority for Ukraine, Ukrainian President’s spokesman Volodymyr Zelensky said after the Ukrainian ambassador to Britain said his country could leave NATO to avoid NATO. Ukraine’s ambitions for NATO and the EU are enshrined in the constitution, the spokesman said, according to Reuters. He also noted that the Ambassador will have the opportunity to explain what he meant by leaving NATO membership.

Earlier, the Ukrainian ambassador said that Ukraine could abandon its NATO bid to avoid war with Russia, according to the BBC, which would be a significant concession to Moscow in response to the merger. Russian troops on its border.

Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko previously told the BBC that Ukraine was willing to be “flexible” in its goal of joining the military alliance, a move that Russian President Vladimir Putin has said would trigger a war.

“We could, especially if we were threatened like that, if we were blackmailed like that and pushed into it,” Prystaiko said when asked if Kiev could change its position on NATO membership.

He later clarified that “in order to avoid war, we are ready for many concessions, but these have nothing to do with NATO.” “We are not delaying our ambitions to join NATO. We are looking for some additional bilateral agreements with the United States or the United Kingdom to protect our country before we join NATO,” he said.

It is noted that Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but has a promise dating back to 2008 that it will eventually be given the opportunity to join, a step that would bring the US-led alliance to the Russian border.

Putin says Ukraine’s growing ties with the alliance could make it a “NATO” missile launcher targeting Russia, and that Moscow must draw “red lines” to prevent this.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Undersecretary of Defense said he would support any decision by Ukraine not to seek NATO membership, adding that any Russian attack on its neighbor could take place without warning.

It is recalled that Russia has moved more than 100,000 troops and heavy weapons within firing range of Ukraine in recent weeks, prompting the HA and its NATO allies to warn that an invasion could be imminent.

Moscow, for its part, denies planning an attack, but has demands from NATO to avoid any further expansion to the east, including Ukraine. NATO members have rejected the request.

In the meantime, US President Joe Biden speaks by telephone with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, the two leaders agreed to continue diplomatic efforts to try to resolve the crisis, the White House said.

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