Ukraine must win, "not losing" no option - Yermak

That’s according to the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, who spoke at the Atlantic Council's open discussion ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Ukrinform reports citing the Office's press service.

The event saw over 800 attendants, including military officers, diplomats, economists, media representatives, and scholars.

The head of the President's Office and Co-Chair of the International Working Group on Security Guarantees for Ukraine, former NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister of Denmark (2001-2009) Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed their opinion on the prospects of Ukraine's membership in the Alliance, expected results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, and security guarantees for Ukraine.

During the meeting, Andriy Yermak expressed his belief that Ukraine should not only defeat Russia, but also integrate into the North Atlantic community and receive reliable security guarantees for the transition period.

"The people of Ukraine have proven to the world the right to remain free. They have paid with blood, sweat and tears for their place in the ranks of the global community of democracies. To deny them now is not only to deprive Ukraine of hope. To deny them now is to betray everything that Ukraine has paid for with tens of thousands of lives and destruction that Europe has not seen since World War II. It would be a defeat for the democratic community. It will be a triumph for dictatorship. This must be prevented. Not only for the sake of Ukraine, but for the sake of all democracies on the planet," Yermak emphasized.

He added that Ukraine should receive all the assistance it needs because the Russian dictatorship's desire to restore the empire not only threatens the very existence of the Ukrainian state, but also poses threats – ranging from military to environmental – to the Western civilization and humanity as a whole.

"Ukraine must win. ‘Not losing’ is not an option for us. Simply restoring the status quo is not an option. Any uncertainty about the outcome of this war, any ambiguity in NATO's reaction to our aspirations will be equivalent to Russian victory," Yermak emphasized.

He also recalled that since the full-scale invasion, the international community has been able to see that Russia is taking advantage of the world's uncertainty and hesitation, so Russia needs to be deprived of this "gray" zone, where it has any such advantage.

"The words that Russia has no veto in the Alliance must finally be backed up by deeds. The 15-year shadow ban for Ukraine must end. Otherwise, Putin will receive a huge bonus for his next presidential term - the laurels of not only a land gatherer, but also a winner of the West. This will only strengthen support for his regime and create the illusion of legitimacy of aggression not only for the Russian public, but also for the countries of the Global South through the inevitable falsification of elections in the occupied territories. Therefore, we must act proactively. We need to dot the i's and cross the t's once and for all," the head of the Presidential Office said.

Therefore, in his opinion, Ukraine should receive a clear prospect of NATO membership when circumstances allow, as well as reliable security guarantees for the transition period.

Andriy Yermak recalled that the possible outlines of these guarantees were developed jointly with Anders Fogh Rasmussen and presented in the draft Kyiv Security Compact. The document provides for extensive possibilities for modifications to balance the interests of Ukraine and guarantor states “for the common good.”

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, for his part, also expressed the opinion that the Vilnius Summit should adopt a decision in support of Ukraine's membership in the Alliance and provide Ukraine with security guarantees on its path to NATO as the country’s neutral status will provide no such guarantees, but will only contribute to the Russian leader’s attempts to pursue aggression.

In conclusion, the head of the President's Office noted that Ukrainians believe in their victory, “but our courageous and resilient soldiers need the necessary weapons and ammunition.”

He expressed hope that the partners would make a decision to provide Ukraine with long-range capabilities in the near future.