Fingers crossed for Ukraine's diplomacy to move in this direction: expert Zhmailo on joining NATO

He said this on the Espreso TV channel.

“The issue of Ukraine's membership in NATO is one of the most difficult for the allies, as they are reluctant to take such steps. We can see how the entire Western community treats this issue. However, Ukraine cannot abandon this idea, as there is no other real alternative to achieve a stable peace other than full integration into the EU and the North Atlantic Alliance. In the event of any truce with Russia or formal ceasefire, if this step is not taken, the war, provided the preservation of the Russian regime, will constantly resume,” Zhmailo said.

According to the co-founder and executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, Ukraine may not receive a direct invitation to join the Alliance, as was the case with other recently joined countries. However, certain steps in this direction, more important documents, are what Kyiv is actively pushing for now.

“Mark Rutte is continuing the course of his predecessor and has made Ukraine a priority. His visit demonstrates that publicly announced goals are backed up by concrete actions. These are consultations and preparatory work. Therefore, we are keeping our fingers crossed that Ukrainian diplomacy will be able to move in this direction,” emphasized Zhmailo. 

• On October 1, Mark Rutte officially took office as NATO Secretary General, declaring support for Ukraine one of his priorities.
• Newly appointed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, October 3, for an official visit. He met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discussed, among other things, Ukraine's Victory Plan.