Kiev disavows its ambassador to London, says NATO membership is an "unconditional" priority

The Ukrainian government has been clear: joining NATO is an "unconditional" priority for the country. In this way, Kiev denies the statements of its ambassador in London, Vadym Prystaiko, who assured during an interview with the BBC that his country would be "flexible" and "responsible" about joining the Alliance. "We could (not join), especially being threatened in this way, bribed like this," the diplomat revealed. 

"The Euro-Atlantic path remains an unconditional priority," President Volodymyr Zelensky's spokesman, Sergii Nykyforov, told the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN. "This path is not only enshrined in the constitution, but has also been adopted with the full consent of the government and society," he added. 

Meanwhile, foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko wrote on his Twitter account that the ambassador's words were taken out of context and that Ukraine's position on NATO "remains unchanged". 

Ukraine, like other countries under Russia's sphere of influence, has expressed a desire to join NATO, making it one of the main candidates to join the Alliance, like Georgia or Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1991, Kiev joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council and in 1994 the Partnership for Peace programme. Since then, Ukraine and NATO have signed a number of security and defence agreements.

In 2008, former US President George W. Bush tried to fast-track Ukraine's NATO membership in the face of refusal by some members. Russian President Vladimir Putin was not alone in expressing his rejection of Kiev's membership. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French Prime Minister François Fillon also differed with Bush. "We oppose the entry of Georgia and Ukraine because we think it is not a good answer to the balance of power within Europe and between Europe and Russia," he said at the time. 
 

The situation remained unchanged until the Euromaidan and Moscow's subsequent annexation of Crimea. Since then, the partnership between Kiev and NATO has grown, leading to an increase in NATO troops in the Eastern European region and the Black Sea.

The conflict in Donbas, on the other hand, has intensified the Kiev government's desire to join the organisation. In June 2017, the Ukrainian parliament adopted a law reinstating NATO membership as a strategic foreign policy and national security objective. Two years later, in 2019, a corresponding amendment to Ukraine's Constitution entered into force; while in 2020, Zelensky approved Ukraine's new National Security Strategy, which provides for the development of partnership with NATO with a view to NATO membership.

During the meeting between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Zelensky, this issue was also discussed. The Ukrainian leader pointed out that NATO membership would guarantee the country's security and integrity. On the other hand, Scholz described the Russian military manoeuvres on the Ukrainian border as "incomprehensible". "There is no reason for such a military deployment. We call on Russia to make use of the existing proposals for dialogue", he added. The chancellor also stressed that "Germany is very close to Ukraine", and recalled that Berlin has been Kiev's economic supporter, an aspect that has made the country "more resistant against foreign offences". 

The Ukrainian president has again appealed to citizens to remain calm following statements from Washington warning of an imminent invasion that would provoke a "bloody campaign" in the country. Zelensky also called for evidence of the alleged aggression. "If you, or anyone else, have additional information about a 100 percent Russian invasion from 16 (February), send us that information," he said.

The Ukrainian leader also seeks to minimise the damage being done to the national economy by the current situation. In this regard, the government is trying to persuade airlines not to suspend flights to Ukraine, a decision they have taken after the alarming US statements. Also, major insurers have suspended coverage of flights to the country for 48 hours, the time Washington said it would take Russia to attack Ukraine.

"At the moment we are negotiating. We are talking with embassies, diplomats to reach an understanding between insurance companies, owners and airlines to make flights in Ukrainian skies," Deputy Infrastructure Minister Vasyl Shkurakov told Ukrainian broadcaster Dom TV.