Ukraine de facto serving as NATO’s eastern flank as ‘the whole country waits for clarity’
Ukraine is already de facto playing the role of NATO’s
eastern flank,
protecting Europe “from barbaric Russia,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii
Reznikov said in interview with the Voice of America’s Russian service on June
14.
The minister expressed his expectation that the
Alliance would clarify the issue of Ukraine’s membership in NATO during the upcoming summit in Vilnius in
July.
The protection of Europe is “not just an abstract
concept” for Ukraine, Reznikov said.
“We’ve already achieved impressive results in the
fight against Russia, thanks to our work with the Alliance member states,” he
said.
“We’ve already collected an incredibly diverse arsenal
of weapons and equipment. We’ve built logistics routes from NATO countries to
us, which are logistics routes of unprecedented complexity, as well as
organizing training programs in NATO countries. We’ll continue to strengthen
such cooperation.”
Reznikov added that now “the whole country is waiting
for clarity: when and how we will become a full-fledged member of the
Alliance.”
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and Armed Forces are
striving to “achieve maximum interoperability with NATO countries through the
implementation of the bloc’s standards,” he said.
“Our goal is to fulfill everything that is within the
competence of the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces, to build all practical
things to make it easier in Vilnius to take any necessary political decisions
at the heads of state level.”
Reznikov commented on June 8 about the intensified
discussion surrounding Ukraine’s membership in NATO following its application. He stated that
while Alliance members are prepared for Ukraine’s accession, it will not be accepted
until the full-scale war initiated by Russia is resolved, as it requires a
unanimous vote.
Earlier in June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy emphasized that it would be pointless for Ukraine to participate in
the NATO summit in Vilnius without receiving a clear signal regarding its
membership.
An article published on June 8 by U.S. news website
Politico highlighted the lack of a unified position among Western allies on the
security guarantees sought by Ukraine, just five weeks before the summit.
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