Ukraine will not back down from joining NATO and will not accept any alternatives to membership, according to Sybiha.

Kyiv's stance on joining NATO is resolute; the course for membership in the alliance has long been enshrined in the Constitution. The majority of Ukrainians support Ukraine's accession to NATO, emphasized the Foreign Minister.

https://mind.ua/news/20283928-ukrayina-ne-vidmovitsya-vid-vstupu-do-nato-i-ne-sprijme-zaminniki-chlenstva-sibiga2025-01-16 07:20:47

Ukraine considers NATO membership to be the only effective guarantee of security for itself.

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha stated this in an interview with "European Truth."

He assured that Kyiv's position regarding its aspiration to join NATO is firm, as the course towards membership has long been enshrined in the Constitution, and a convincing majority of Ukrainian society supports Ukraine's membership in the Alliance.

“The only effective guarantee for Ukraine is NATO membership. Moreover, Ukraine's membership is a security guarantee for NATO itself. Additionally, Ukraine’s full membership is, excuse the cynicism, also the cheapest option for ensuring European security,” he noted in response to a question about alternative guarantees that may be offered to Ukraine during negotiations for a comprehensive peace agreement.

Sybiha shared details of a conversation with a foreign colleague who was present at the summit in Bucharest in 2008, where a decision could have been made to provide Ukraine and Georgia with a Membership Action Plan. According to him, Putin directly threatened European leaders at that time, stating that he would occupy Ukraine if such a decision was reached.

“As we know, the Alliance then showed weakness and historical shortsightedness. And what did we see afterward? Russia occupied Georgia, then occupied and annexed Crimea, and now we have a full-scale war. Those mistakes must not be repeated. Strong decisions are needed to create strategic guarantees of transatlantic security. And that is Ukraine's membership in NATO,” Sybiha emphasized.

He added that other tools, including bilateral security agreements with partners, are part of Ukraine's preparation for NATO membership and a means of strengthening it, but cannot replace membership.

Background. Previously, Mind reported that Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged NATO colleagues to invite Kyiv to join the Western military alliance at the meeting in Brussels on December 3-4.