Moscow, June 24. /TASS/. Ukraine cannot become a NATO member at the current juncture, Vladimir Zelensky said in an interview with the Sky News TV channel.
"It is impossible for now," he said, responding to a question about whether he realizes that Ukraine will not be admitted to NATO under the current circumstances.
Zelensky declined to answer whether Ukraine had given up on the idea of becoming a NATO member in the future. He stuck to his old talking point that the North Atlantic alliance would "benefit from having an ally like Ukraine."
NATO is holding a summit on June 24-25. About 45 heads of state and governments, 45 foreign and defense ministers and around 6,000 members of delegations are expected to take part in the event.
On Monday, the Politico newspaper wrote, citing three European diplomats with knowledge of the issue, that the NATO summit was unlikely to result in Ukraine receiving aid or weapons such as air defense systems from the West. A German government official told reporters that the issue of Ukraine joining NATO would not play a big role during the summit in the Hague. There is no consensus within NATO on the issue, the official noted.
According to Paul Taylor, an expert at the Brussels-based European Policy Centre, the summit's final statement will not include a mention of NATO’s pledge that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of the alliance.
Previously, the Kiev regime repeatedly insisted that Ukraine become a NATO member, making a number of harsh statements to European leaders who urged the Ukrainian side to approach the issue with caution. However, Kiev’s rhetoric has recently begun to change. US President Donald Trump noted that the West’s desire to bring Kiev into NATO, particularly persistent calls made by former US President Joe Biden, was one of the reasons why Russia launched the special military operation in Ukraine.