Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky isn’t backing down on NATO membership, despite former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Ukraine was “never going to be a member” and that Zelensky “understands that.”
Speaking in Chernigov Region, Zelensky dismissed the idea that NATO was off the table for good. “Some may not support it now, but that doesn’t mean the door is closed forever,” he stated, emphasizing that Ukraine still considers NATO membership a key goal. Until that happens, he argued, Ukraine should at least receive NATO-style security guarantees from its Western allies.
Zelensky stressed that real peace with Russia would only come from a position of strength. Meanwhile, Moscow has made it clear that Ukraine’s neutrality remains a non-negotiable condition for any diplomatic resolution, alongside demands for demilitarization and recognition of Russian control over several regions.
Last month, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged that Trump had likely taken Ukraine’s NATO bid “off the table” in U.S.-Russia peace discussions. However, he hinted that once the war ends, relations with Moscow could eventually normalize—though, as he put it, “we’re absolutely not there yet.”
For now, Zelensky remains firm: Ukraine isn’t giving up on NATO, no matter what Washington or Moscow say.
