Zelensky: I will not ask for Ukraine to join NATO

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said he no longer wants to insist on achieving his country’s accession to NATOone of the reasons that Russia invoked to invade Ukraine, in an interview given to the American television network ABC.

Making another “opening” to Moscow, he also says he is ready for a “compromise” on the status of the autonomous territories of eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally recognized the independence of these regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, a few days before the start of the war in late February.

“As for NATO, it softened its position on this issue a while ago, after we realized that NATO was ‘not ready to accept Ukraine,'” he said in an interview broadcast Monday night. “The Alliance fears what is controversial and a conflict with Russia,” he added.

As Zelensky said, he does not want to be president “A country that please kneel down” to join NATO.

Putin demands that the independence of Luhansk and Donetsk be recognized by Ukraine as well. Asked about Moscow’s demand, Zelensky told ABC that he was “open to dialogue”.

“I am talking about security guarantees. “I believe that with regard to the temporarily occupied territories (…) that have only been recognized by Russia (…) we can discuss and find a compromise solution for the future of these territories,” he explained.

“The important thing for me is how people will live in these territories and they want to be part of Ukraine,” he said, adding that the issue was “complex.”

“This is another ultimatum and we reject the ultimatums. “What is needed is for President Putin to start talking, to start a dialogue, instead of living in a bubble.”