Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his intention to speak with US President Joe Biden about Ukraine’s potential invitation to NATO after a meeting with German chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz in Kyiv, Ukrainian media Ukrinform reported on December 9.
“I intend to call President Biden soon, if he has the opportunity to speak with me, to raise the issue of the NATO invitation. He is the current president of the United States, and much depends on his position,” Zelenskyy said.
In addition, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the recent military aid package from the US, calling it “significant support” at a critical time for Ukraine.
While discussing interim security measures during Ukraine’s NATO accession process, Zelenskyy highlighted French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to deploy international forces in select Ukrainian territories.
Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of concrete security guarantees for Ukraine during its NATO accession process. Speaking on the topic, he acknowledged the potential for a transitional period after Ukraine receives an invitation but before full NATO membership is achieved.
“And I will tell you frankly, we can think and work on Emmanuel’s position,” Zelenskyy said, highlighting the importance of concrete guarantees of security.
“Do you remember when he suggested that some part of the troops of a country should be present on some territories of Ukraine to guarantee our security while Ukraine is not in NATO? But we must have a clear understanding of when Ukraine will be in the EU and when Ukraine will be in NATO before that,” Zelenskyy said during his conversation with journalists.
The Ukrainian President thanked France for hosting a trilateral meeting in Paris with Macron and US President-elect Trump. He stressed the importance of ongoing dialogue with both American and European partners to ensure Ukraine’s future security and geopolitical stability.
“Ukraine must have security guarantees for the future, and this involves not only NATO but also economic and geopolitical security,” Zelenskyy said.
Previously, French President Emmanuel Macron was considering the possibility of deploying French troops to Ukraine if “Russia breaches the front line” and Ukraine requested assistance.
Earlier, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan pledged that the United States would deliver hundreds of thousands of additional artillery shells, thousands of missiles, and hundreds of armored vehicles to Ukraine by mid-January 2025.
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