Europe can’t be secure without Ukraine — ex-Ukraine NATO delegate

Oksana Yurynets, the former head of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said this on Espreso TV.

"In the European Union, they have finally started to understand that it is impossible to build a security system without Ukraine. The EU is now searching for strength within itself. This strength on NATO’s eastern flank can only be provided by Ukraine. The events that have taken place on the territory of the Russian Federation confirm that Ukraine still has much that is unknown, things that will also give the EU resilience. The reorientation after the U.S. elections to seek strength within the European Union, I think, has really sobered up thinking and awakened the previously dormant state, showing that NATO can act outside the Union. In other words, these moments are rapidly changing the situation within Europe itself," Yurynets noted.

According to the politician, today Ukraine has more competitive advantages and arguments as to why, without Kyiv, the future security of Europe is out of the question.

"I believe these changes are positive, as they accelerate various processes. In particular, defense orders by certain enterprises within the EU, as well as the reorientation towards finding strength to counter the Kremlin’s aggressive plans. Our partners realize that working together on future security without Ukraine will be difficult. As of now, we have more competitive advantages and arguments, as Ukraine has become the solution, not the problem," she concluded.

• The Netherlands expects to see Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24-26 and is demanding that Alliance partners increase support for Ukraine and intensify international pressure on Russia to establish peace.

• On May 15, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied reports that the U.S. was allegedly against inviting the President of Ukraine.