Ukraine’s Deputy PM for Euro-Atlantic Integration explains Zelenskyy’s angry tweet
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has explained why President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent an angry message ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius: because of signals Ukraine had received about the wording of the final declaration being "watered down".
Source: Olha Stefanishyna during the 24/7 national joint newscast
Details: Stefanishyna explained that the wording of the NATO Vilnius Declaration on Ukraine was not agreed on until the last minute and was being discussed at the level of leaders.
Quote: "And in fact, less than a day before the summit, we began to receive signals that attempts were being made to water down the wording, possibly so that it could be used in relation to Ukraine's future [this probably refers to the possibility of non-accession to NATO as a subject of negotiations with Russia – ed.]."
Media outlet discovers why Zelenskyy wrote angry tweet on his way to NATO summit
More details: "We saw that as a lack of faith in our victory, so we reacted quite sharply," Stefanishyna added, noting that they had learned about the decision in Vilnius during direct talks.
"We have seen a communiqué that contains positions regarding a direct invitation for Ukraine, recognises the progress made in Ukraine's reforms, acknowledges the level of interoperability, establishes the NATO-Ukraine Council, and confirms that Ukraine will be a NATO member," Stefanishyna listed.
She summed up by saying that the Ukrainian delegation had left the summit "with clarity for ourselves, when all the leaders confirmed that Ukraine will definitely be a NATO member and that there is no doubt about Ukrainian victory or the Ukrainian pathway."
Putin on Ukraine’s accession to NATO: Nothing good, this will not increase Kyiv's security
It should be noted that a similar explanation for Zelenskyy's outrage at the discussions at the NATO summit the day before was given by Bloomberg.
Background: The decision of the Vilnius Summit contains quite positive wording regarding Ukraine. In particular, the NATO summit agreed to remove the requirement for a Membership Action Plan on Ukraine's path to the Alliance. At the same time, the allies made it clear that they would invite Ukraine to join NATO "when the conditions are met".
The summit decision does not contain a list of the conditions that Ukraine must fulfil. But, according to European Pravda, some of them will be political, i.e. related to reforms.
Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
