Zelenskyy: I believe we deserve NATO

According to a written statement from the Office of the President of Ukraine, Zelenskyy delivered a speech at the 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC 2024) held in Germany. 

Stating that the decision to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region was logical and fair, as it protected the lives of Ukrainians until the necessary weapons arrived, Zelenskyy said, "We are protecting our people, our soldiers, because that is the meaning of defense." 

Reminding that Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka withdrew to other borders to avoid being encircled, Zelenskyy remarked, "This does not mean that people retreated for kilometers and that Russia captured something. (Russia) Captured nothing. Russia tried to do something in the east during the 2-year war. They destroyed a few villages and towns, but more than anything, they destroyed our lives."

Pointing out that the weapons they have are insufficient, Zelenskyy said, "We will wait for the appropriate weapons. There are no long-range weapons. Russia has them, but we have very few. That is the whole truth. Therefore, our main weapon today is our soldiers, our people, and we rely on the support of our partners."

HE STATED THAT THEY EXPECT SUPPORT FROM THEIR PARTNERS

Stating that Ukraine needs artillery and long-range weapons, Zelenskyy reported that they expect support from their partners in this regard.

Claiming that they have gained an advantage in the air against Russia, Zelenskyy argued that the supply of air defense systems would help Ukrainian soldiers advance.

Zelenskyy said, "We are grateful to our partners. We have started to receive Patriot, IRIS-T, and NASAMS air defense systems. But these are not enough to advance quickly. The solution is very simple; people return to the places where our air defense systems are deployed, and they boost the city's economy."

Touching upon Ukraine's NATO membership process, Zelenskyy remarked, "Our goal is to become a member of NATO. I believe we deserve this. We will do everything in our power to bring Ukraine closer to the Alliance." 

Zelenskyy stated that an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO is an allied decision and that not all leaders support it yet, therefore efforts in this direction will continue.

News Source: AA