Portrait of Volodymyr Zelenskyy
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy on North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Strong advocate for membership (strong)

TL;DR

Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly advocates for Ukraine's full and accelerated membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a vital security guarantee.

Key Points

  • He formally applied for NATO membership under an accelerated procedure on September 30, 2022, following Russia's attempted annexation of Ukrainian territories.

  • The president has argued that admitting Ukraine would be a demonstration of resolve and would make the alliance itself stronger.

  • He has acknowledged that immediate membership is unlikely while active fighting continues due to a lack of consensus among member states.

Summary

Volodymyr Zelenskyy views North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership as the ultimate security guarantee for Ukraine, consistently pushing for an invitation or clear pathway to join the alliance. Following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, he formally applied for membership under an accelerated procedure, asserting that Ukraine's accession would ultimately strengthen the bloc. He has frequently stated that NATO membership is essential to deter future Russian aggression and that the alliance's open-door policy must apply to Ukraine without vetoes from Moscow.

However, the Ukrainian president has also demonstrated realism regarding the immediate political obstacles to joining while the conflict is ongoing, acknowledging that consensus among key members is lacking for present-day accession. In light of this, he has been willing to discuss alternative, non-NATO security arrangements, such as bilateral security guarantees from individual NATO states or even hinting at pursuing independent nuclear deterrence if NATO membership proves unattainable.

Key Quotes

We are realists. We truly want to join NATO - that's fair. But we know for sure that neither the US nor several other countries see Ukraine in the alliance yet. And Russia, of course, will never see us there

Frequently Asked Questions

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a strong advocate for Ukraine's accession to NATO, viewing it as the country's essential security guarantee against Russian aggression. He has consistently petitioned the alliance for a clear invitation and pathway to membership. While he accepts that immediate entry is politically difficult during the war, he continues to push for this long-term goal.

Yes, his stance has evolved in the context of the ongoing war. Before the 2022 invasion, he sought a Membership Action Plan (MAP); after the invasion, he officially applied for accelerated membership. More recently, he has shown pragmatism by discussing alternative security guarantees when full NATO membership appears politically infeasible in the short term.

The Ukrainian president consistently states that Ukraine will become a NATO member, viewing it as a strategic imperative for his country's future. He has argued that the alliance's open-door policy must remain intact, rejecting any Russian attempt to veto Ukraine's sovereign choice of security arrangements. He insists that Ukraine's post-war security must be guaranteed by NATO.

Sources6

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.