NATO confirms restricted format for Zelenskyy at Ankara summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not be allowed to attend the plenary session of the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8, although he is expected to attend and engage in meetings on the sidelines of the event.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte made the remarks at a press conference ahead of a NATO defence ministers meeting on June 18, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“We expect that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will receive a separate program at the NATO summit, similar to what happened last year at the summit in The Hague. He will have many meetings, but he will not have a general meeting with all 32 leaders at the same time. At the summit, only one meeting of all 32 alliance leaders is planned, for members only,” Rutte said.

By Vafa Guliyeva