Zelenskyy says Ukraine “strongly” wants NATO membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he remains puzzled that Ukraine has not yet been invited to join NATO, stressing that membership is a key security guarantee for the country.

In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy said he has never been able to “understand" why Ukraine has not been included in or invited to the alliance. He added that Kyiv wants to stand alongside its American and European partners, Caliber.Az reports.

"We want very much to be in NATO. For us, it is also a security guarantee. This is important," Zelenskyy emphasised.

During the interview, the Ukrainian leader also criticised Russia for rejecting a temporary ceasefire that, he said, could create an opportunity for diplomacy.

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine wanted to stop the war, adding that US President Donald Trump and European countries also sought to bring the conflict to an end.

According to the Ukrainian leader, Kyiv is asking "every day" for at least a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance. He claimed that Russia continues to reject the proposal, saying "that is the problem."

By Jeyhun Aghazada