Ukraine is de facto a member of NATO, only political decision left – Ukrainian Defence Minister

Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine's Defence Minister, believes that Ukraine became a de facto member of NATO with the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion, and only a political decision remains to be made for its de jure entry. 

Source: Reznikov in an interview with Spanish publication La Razon.

"After this war, the only thing left is the political decision to become a de jure member. Russia is the biggest threat to NATO for the next ten years, as determined at the Madrid summit, and no one has such direct experience of fighting it and defeating it, like us. What could be a better reason than that? They need us," Reznikov said.

He said that Ukraine now uses NATO standards and weapons. There is also cooperation in intelligence, training, use of its arsenal, and military medicine.

The head of the Defence Ministry also refuted the claim that NATO is helping Ukraine in its confrontation with the Russian Federation, but was not providing opportunities for victory.

"We can see that the original expectations have been exceeded, and they believe in us. All the weapons they have supplied us have been used in great victories, and the stakes have risen accordingly. When I asked Washington for the Stingers before it all started, they told me that it was impossible… Two months later, the first shipment from Lithuania arrived with the approval of the White House. And that's how it happens with everything. Nothing is impossible for me," Reznikov emphasised.

Background: 

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine would not agree to alternative proposals that could replace NATO membership.
• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that Ukraine will not be satisfied with any other decision of the NATO summit in Vilnius in July other than real steps towards its membership of the Alliance.

Read more: Ukraine's NATO Membership Needs no Action Plan, We Have to Leave 2008 Mistakes Behind.

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