Zelensky: If NATO not ready to invite Ukraine, give us opportunity to defend ourselves

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with Trudy Rubin, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, in response to a question about expectations from the NATO summit in Washington, Ukrinform reports.

According to the head of state, the Ukrainian side understands that the White House is not ready to invite Ukraine to join NATO, and this position is shared by both current U.S. President Joe Biden and presidential candidate Donald Trump.

"I don't think this is the policy of the world's leaders. These are cautious steps. It's like the steps of sappers in a minefield," the President of Ukraine said.

He noted that given the fact that Ukraine cannot count on an invitation to NATO today, "we ask for certainty."

"If America is afraid to irritate Putin, and that is why we are not invited there, then we ask our strategic partners, the United States of America, to give us as much as possible to protect us. We are asking for Patriots, we are asking for enough F16s, we are asking for the ability to use weapons to defend ourselves. If NATO is not yet ready to defend us and take us into its alliance, we ask them to give us everything so that we can defend ourselves," Zelensky said.

As Ukrinform reported, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said that following the NATO summit in Washington, it is important for Ukraine to receive a joint decision of the Alliance member states on guaranteed military assistance. 

Ambassador James O'Brien, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, said that the NATO summit in Washington, which will take place on July 9-11, should highlight opportunities for Ukraineʼs full integration into Western structures, create a direct and effective bridge for its membership in the Alliance, and discuss ways to succeed on the battlefield.