Volodimir Zelenski: Ukraine and Poland are working together on a concrete prospect of NATO membership at the Vilnius summit
President Volodimir Zelenski told his compatriots on Wednesday evening that he spoke for almost an hour on the phone with Polish President Andrzej Duda, with whom he is working on a formula to give Ukraine a concrete prospect of joining NATO at next month's Vilnius summit, Hotnews.ro reports.
"Poland is very realistic about the need for Ukraine to join NATO. And this is an objective necessity. We are working together to develop a specific content for the Alliance summit in Vilnius," Zelenski said, adding that he spoke for an hour with the Polish president mainly on security issues, the situation on the battlefield and weapons for Ukrainian soldiers.
"The Vilnius summit is exactly the moment when Russian assumptions that someone in NATO still fears Russia need to be completely dispelled. Such assumptions fuel Russia's aggressive ambitions. We must and we can neutralise them," Zelenski said, thanking Poland for its "support for Ukraine and for the real strengthening of NATO".
Ukraine wants the NATO summit in Vilnius, which Zelenski has been invited to attend, to provide concrete security guarantees and a clear prospect of NATO membership, along with continued Western support to fight Russia.
Zelenski made less mention of the counter-offensive situation in his speech on Wednesday evening, but had words of thanks and encouragement for Ukrainian soldiers, as officials in Kiev had previously said the fighting was "fierce" and territorial advances were small but steady. Zelenski said those now fighting in the east and south of the country were "opening up a strategic space" for victory.
