Joining NATO without occupied areas off table - Ukraine’s Vice PM

Ukraine will definitely be invited to NATO within the borders as of 1991 while the issue of joining the Alliance partly, excluding territories temporarily occupied by Russia is not being discussed with Allies.

This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Head of the Ministry of Justice, Olha Stefanishyna, who spoke on national television on Saturday, Ukrinform reports.

The official denied reports that Ukraine had been offered to join NATO within the limits of government-controlled territories, and emphasized that for the Ukrainian side, the issue is off the table.

"There were no such conversations... Ukraine will definitely be invited to NATO within the borders as of 1991 as a sovereign independent state. This is not being discussed, it is off the table," said Stefanishyna.

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She noted that Ukraine's membership in NATO is possible only after the war is settled, and the situation may change in the process after the invitation to the Alliance is received.

The Deputy Prime Minister explained that, once the invitation is issued, a protocol on accession shall be drawn up, which specifies both the terms and reforms necessary for joining NATO. "These are already technical things, issues of technical interoperability, we are talking about routine reforms," ​​Stefanishyna said.

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She also emphasized that the invitation to NATO is "not a political declaration, but a legal decision", but after it, Art. 5 of the Washington Treaty does not automatically apply to Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said a formal invitation to NATO was the only way to end the war unleashed by Russia.