Zelenskyy says Ukraine may accept an alternative to NATO, but only under one condition
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukraine does not rule out a different security arrangement instead of NATO, but insists on legally binding guarantees that will actually work, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Corriere della Sera.
The best option for a security system involves combining three components: the Ukrainian army, the European Union, and NATO.
The president emphasized that Ukrainian troops already serve as a concrete guarantee of the country's defense. Thanks to their experience and the size of their personnel, they can also strengthen the armed forces of European countries.
Zelenskyy assigns a separate role to NATO. According to him, membership in the Alliance would mean participation in a common security system with legally defined rights for allies.
Accession to the European Union depends on decisions by European countries, while joining NATO requires the consent of both Europe and the United States.
Under what condition could Ukraine give up on NATO?
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to consider alternative security guarantees if they are equivalent to membership in the Alliance. Kyiv's key requirement is that such agreements have the appropriate legal force.
"We are ready to discuss equivalent guarantees, even under a different name, but they must have the same legal force," the president said.
He also emphasized that Ukraine seeks not merely formal promises from its partners, but a mechanism that will genuinely work and ensure protection in the event of a new threat.
In Zelenskyy's view, NATO membership could serve as a deterrent for both sides. If Ukraine is offered a different format of guarantees, it must provide a comparable level of security.
US Vice President JD Vance previously stated that Ukraine should not join NATO. He emphasized that there is no formal alliance agreement between Washington and Kyiv, although the countries will continue cooperating on certain issues.
In September, NATO countries officially recognized Ukraine for the first time at the leaders' level as a joint contributor to Euro-Atlantic security. According to Alyona Getmanchuk, head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO, this decision opens up new opportunities for support from the allies.
