Kyiv not expecting move from NATO on membership: Ukrainian FM
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speaks during the opening ceremony of an exhibition of political placards on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine, June 28, 2022. (AFP Photo)


NATO will not change its stance on Ukraine's membership in the near future, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Monday.

Speaking to a Ukrainian news site, Kuleba said he does not currently see any potential for NATO to change its policy regarding Ukraine's membership.

Highlighting Ukraine's determination to integrate into NATO, he said: "But in the short term, I do not see the potential for NATO to change its stance like the EU and start doing tangible things to accept Ukraine into the alliance."

Also, pointing out that the unofficial decision on Ukraine was taken by NATO, Kuleba said: "The alliance will play subsidiary roles as a union so that Russia does not use the argument that it is at war with NATO.

"Now they have restructured their aid packages, something will happen there, but strategically it has been decided that NATO will not be at the forefront of supporting Ukraine," he added.

He also noted that as a NATO member, "a very strong distinction" must be made between aid coming from the United States and NATO.

Russia began its war on Ukraine, which it calls a "special military operation," on Feb. 24.

'War united Europe, NATO'

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that the war Russia launched in Ukraine on Feb. 24 had united his country, sped up reforms, and united Europe and the NATO military alliance.

"Thanks to this reform of ours, we have actualized every basic value of Europe, just like the support of NATO countries implies that we have united the (NATO) Alliance," Zelenskyy said.

He also said people had become united for democracy thanks to what was happening in Ukraine.

"This unity has not been seen for thousands of years, and the reconstruction of Ukraine will also become our greatest reform," he added.