After 13 days of war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he is now less passionate about his country joining NATO.
Zelensky stated this while responding to a question by ABC News on Monday. He was asked if he was willing to renounce Ukraine’s bid to join NATO one day and he responding thus;
“I’ve become less passionate about this issue after we understood that NATO isn’t ready to accept Ukraine. The alliance is afraid of controversial things and a confrontation with Russia.
“I’ve never wanted Ukraine to be a country that is on its knees, begging for something. And we’re not going to be that country.”
It can be inferred that the Ukrainian President reached this stage of passion having realized that US-led bloc, NATO is afraid of having Kiev join them as it will spark a conflict with Russia.
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Russia has consistently stated for years now that it will not tolerate Ukraine joining NATO. Russia is demanding an official declaration by Ukraine that it will be a neutral country that will never join NATO.
Zelensky has said that Kiev will not accept ultimatums from Moscow or “a capitulation,” but confirmed that he was ready for direct negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
Kiev says that Russian offensive which started on 24th February was completely unjustified and denied claims that it was planning to retake rebellious Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republic by force.
However, Russia insists that its “Special Military Operations” is for the defence of these republics which broke away from Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
