Zelenskyy: ‘NATO will give us security. Ukraine will make the Alliance stronger’

The presidential address was broadcast by Espreso TV.

"NATO will give Ukraine security. Ukraine will make NATO stronger," the president said.

Zelenskyy stressed that "no one should ever look back at Moscow" and said that he had come to the summit "with faith in NATO, which has no doubts and does not look back at the aggressor."

"Today I came here with faith in decisions, partners and faith in a strong NATO. In a NATO that does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor. And I would like this faith to become confidence in the solutions that we deserve and that every soldier, every citizen, every mother, every child expects. Is this too much to ask?" the Ukrainian leader said.

During the speech, the Ukrainian flag from Bakhmut was raised as a sign of freedom. Zelenskyy also called the battle for Bakhmut "one of the most decisive battles for freedom in Europe".

"Today, the Ukrainian battle flag from Bakhmut is here in Vilnius. Bakhmut is one of the most decisive battles for freedom in Europe and this is how our children and grandchildren will remember it. The Ukrainian flag, although shot by bullets, is alive, proud and free, which means that every flag will be alive, proud and free," the president said.

• On July 11, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was outraged by the existence of "conditions" for Ukraine to receive an invitation to NATO and said that it looked like "unwillingness to invite our country to join the Alliance". The president stressed that the absence of a timeframe for Ukraine's invitation and membership was absurd.
• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Allies had agreed to remove the MAP on Ukraine's path to the Alliance. He noted that Ukraine will receive an invitation to join NATO when all allies agree and the conditions are met.
• NATO countries also agreed on a final communiqué on Ukraine where they reaffirmed the 2008 commitment that the country would become a member of the Alliance. The document also acknowledged that Ukraine's path to full Euro-Atlantic integration has now gone beyond the need for the Membership Action Plan.