President Volodimir Zelenski assumes that Ukraine will not join NATO, but asks allies for more weapons

The president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, accepted today that his country will not enter NATO, but insisted on his request for help and demanded weapons from the allies to defend himself from the invasion of Russia, whose troops continue to shell Ukrainian cities and slowly advance towards kyiv.

In a videoconference message to leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries convened in London by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Zelensky expressed his frustration that, despite its alleged “open door” policy, NATO has not admitted as a member his country, something that Ukraine has no choice but to “accept”, and urged to seek other ways of military collaboration.

“For years we have heard that the doors were open, but we have also heard that we would not be able to join. That is the truth and it must be recognized.” the president said in a videoconference with military officials.

Putin partly justified the invasion of Ukraine by fears that this former Soviet republic would join the Western military alliance.

Although NATO is the “strongest defense alliance in the world”, some of its members “are hypnotized by Russian aggression”, said the Ukrainian president, who regretted that the Atlantic Alliance does not apply a no-fly zone over Ukraine to prevent Russian attacks and pointed out that the international sanctions applied so far “are not enough”, while calling for a total “trade embargo” on Russia.

NATO asks China to condemn the invasion

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said China “should join the rest of the world in strongly condemning Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.”

“Any support for Russia – military or otherwise – will help Russia wage a brutal war against an independent and sovereign nation, Ukraine, and help Russia continue to wage a war that is causing death, suffering and enormous destruction.” Stoltenberg said during the press conference prior to the Alliance Defense Ministers’ meeting, which is being held tomorrow, Wednesday, in Brussels.

He added that China has “an obligation as a member of the UN Security Council to support and defend international law, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international law.” (I)