Yesterday at 19:55
Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be not only a security necessity but also the most economically efficient option for Europe’s future defense architecture, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said during the international Architecture of Security Forum, UATV English reports.
According to Sybiha, Europe must increasingly view all major political and economic decisions through the prism of security.
“We must permanently entrench the understanding that security comes first,” he said, arguing that infrastructure projects, economic agreements, and strategic dependencies should all be assessed based on their security implications.
The minister also reiterated Ukraine’s position that full integration into European institutions remains the only sustainable path for long-term stability.
“There can be no alternative to Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union,” Sybiha said. “And allies will sooner or later realize that Ukraine in NATO is the most economically efficient and security-rational model for the future of Europe. It is better for them to have Ukraine in NATO than outside it.”
Sybiha argued that Ukraine’s military experience, defense-industrial capabilities, and role in deterring Russian aggression have already made the country a significant contributor to European security.
Beyond NATO and EU integration, the minister called for a broader reform of international security institutions. He said Ukraine has developed proposals for changes within organizations such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which could serve as a starting point for a wider reassessment of the global security system.
Sybiha also criticized the structure of the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the ability of an aggressor state to wield veto power undermines the effectiveness of international security mechanisms.
“An aggressor with veto power in the Security Council is a verdict for our entire security system,” he said.
The foreign minister emphasized that future security arrangements must include not only agreements but also clear mechanisms for responding to violations.
“Detente policy ended in war. Only deterrence can restore peace,” Sybiha said. “Today, security is a resource whose price increases every day, and Ukraine has already become one of the key producers of this resource in the world.”
His remarks come amid ongoing debates within NATO about Ukraine’s future membership prospects and Europe’s broader efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
