NATO membership in exchange for having surrendered its nuclear weapons: Zelenskyy explains why Ukraine needs membership in the Alliance.
When Ukraine gave up all of its nuclear weapons in 1996, it received nothing in return except full-scale war.
“That’s why we need NATO, because we don’t have weapons to stop Putin,” the President of Ukraine emphasizes.
According to him, there is a consensus among most NATO member countries regarding Ukraine’s invitation, but there are also a few doubters. There is confidence in support from France and Britain, probably Italy, but Germany is skeptical due to fears of the Russian reaction.
“The position of Germany could be influenced by a confident ‘yes’ from the US,” Zelenskyy believes, as well as Hungary and Slovakia.
Ukraine’s president hopes for a more positive reaction from the US regarding Ukraine’s invitation to NATO after the election on November 5. He also emphasizes that the partners do not openly discuss with Ukraine the possibility of Alliance membership in exchange for territory, but such media leaks are not accidental – to gauge reactions to such suggestions.