Zelensky: Ukraine understands it is not NATO member, so it needs reliable security guarantees

Ukraine understands that it is not a member of NATO, so it needs reliable security guarantees and hopes to cooperate with partners who are ready to help the country in the face of Russia's military aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his speech at a meeting of the leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"It is clear that Ukraine is not a member of NATO. We understand that. We have heard for years about an allegedly open door, but we have already heard that cannot enter it. It is true. It must be acknowledged. I am glad that our people are beginning to understand and count on themselves and on partners who are helping us. Ukraine does not currently claim the trigger of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. […] We understand that we are not in the Alliance," he said.

Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is doing everything to get planes, air defense systems.

"We emphasize the need for new formats of interaction, new determination. If we cannot enter the open door, we must work with communities that will help us, protect us. And we would like to have some reliable guarantees that will work for us, which means they will also work for you," he said.

He stated that the Russian invasion of Ukraine destroyed absolutely everything on which both security in the Ukrainian region and international security in general were based. Zelensky noted that the most powerful security alliance, NATO, had called into question its credibility.

Zelensky said that some members of the Alliance are simply "hypnotized" by Russian aggression and are worried about the probable beginning of the Third World War if they implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

"We say that our skies need to be protected in the same way as the Alliance's skies, but we understand that there is always a 'but.' What will be NATO's response to Allies in Eastern Europe if they are already seeking protection? If, God forbid, Russian missiles and Russian planes arrive in their territory? Russia has attacked our Lviv region. A missile strike 20 kilometers from NATO borders. Russian drones have already fallen on the territory of the Alliance," Zelensky added.

He also said that the Ukrainian authorities have offered international partners a way to protect Ukrainian airspace and people on their own.

On February 24, Russian President Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops simultaneously crossed Ukraine's borders from the north, the east and Crimea. They have been destroying cities, killing civilians, shelling and destroying key infrastructure and residential houses.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.