Ukraine to Raise NATO Invite, Security Guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will raise the issues of Ukraine being invited to join the NATO military alliance as well as security guarantees at a meeting with European partners this month, Kyiv said Tuesday.

Ukraine announced the meeting Monday and said it would help coordinate a joint position and ensure Kyiv was in a strong position for potential talks and on the battlefield.

"One of the issues on the agenda of such a meeting will certainly be the issue we are discussing now of obtaining a membership application and the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine until it joins NATO," said Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office.

He said there would also be discussions about military aid for Ukraine.

These issues were also raised at Zelenskyy's meeting with President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend, he said.

"It is absolutely clear that the issue of Ukraine's membership in NATO, unfortunately, remains unattainable for now. I mean, as long as Russian aggression against Ukraine continues, until we win. And so today... we need appropriate guarantees of our security before we join NATO," Zhovkva said.