Zelenskyy: We do not have many formats of security guarantees – NATO or strong army

Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: President’s Office

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine today does not have many formats to guarantee security, such as NATO membership, or a strong army with strong air defense and a contingent of foreign troops.

The Head of State said this during a conversation with media representatives, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“We, Ukraine, are in a situation where we do not have many formats of security guarantees for us. And no one will simply build something new, global, something space-based. We want security guarantees this year, right? Because we want to end the war this year. And if we are not creating a new world, then security guarantees are all on the table. I offered them [NATO membership]. I understand that they [partners] do not like it when I talk about [Ukraine’s membership in] NATO,” Zelenskyy said.

He noted that the only alternative to NATO membership is a million-strong Ukrainian army, which would have to be financed with a total air defense system that “only the Americans, President Trump, have.”

Some partners, according to the President, when it comes to security guarantees, call for “something to be given to the Russians, to meet them halfway.”

“We do not need a Russian contingent. We do not need air defense from the Russians. We are asking for protection from them, and therefore we are turning only to our partners,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

He emphasized that Ukraine needs a strong air defense system solely to protect itself from Russia. “We also need a contingent from those countries that are willing and able to stand in our cities, on our borders, on contact lines, etc. All of this is clear to us. We have a map where we see this, but we are ready for a dialogue, for discussions, in what quantity… we have everything calculated,” the head of state said.