Zelenskyy on Tuesday insisted that his country is still looking to join the alliance. While flanked by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, he said: “This direction is not changing.”
The alliance chief emphasized the organization was also working on “building that bridge” for Ukraine, while highlighting that European and Canadian members have pledged €35 billion in aid for Kyiv so far this year.
The U.S. under Trump has not requested any new military aid for Ukraine.
Zalenskyy also underlined that Ukraine’s accession was a “mutual opportunity” for the alliance, arguing his country now has the capacity to produce 8 million drones each year.
“It is an advantageous proposal for NATO today to have an ally like Ukraine, with NATO weapons, with new technology,” he told Sky News. “We have no secrets, and experienced people with 10 years of different types of fighting.”
Still, Trump and his administration have ruled out allowing Ukraine to join NATO. That’s a topic that could arise when the two leaders meet at The Hague.
The Ukrainian president also used his time in the Netherlands to warn that Russia was planning “destructive operations on NATO territory.”
“Moscow never truly respects any alliance and always betrays its so-called partners … [while] improving its ability to kill,” he said in an address to the Dutch parliament. “That’s why solidarity in defense is so important, so that no one ever has to face them alone.”
