NATO membership is a highly contentious issue in Ukraine, where the majority of the population is against joining the alliance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will not seek to join NATO, a move that would have been deeply unpopular with his voters. The comments came after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on July 3rd. During the meeting, Zelensky assured Stoltenberg that Ukraine would continue to work towards reforming its military and upholding the Minsk agreement.
Zelensky’s statement was an about-face from his campaign promises to join NATO, but it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise given that he has no military experience and has shown no interest in getting involved in defense issues. He also told Stoltenberg that he believes Ukraine should focus on fighting corruption and improving ties with Russia instead of seeking membership in NATO.
