Ukraine: Not joining NATO would be suicide for Europea

 Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said, ahead of an upcoming NATO summit later this July, that not accepting Ukraine's membership in the alliance after the end of the Russian invasion would be "suicide for Europe."

"Not accepting Ukraine's accession to NATO means that the option of war will remain," Kuleba added in remarks reported by the American newspaper "Politico". He continued, "The only way to close the door to Russian aggression against Europe and the Euro-Atlantic space as a whole is to include Ukraine in NATO because Russia will not dare to repeat this experience."

On June 22, German Chancellor Olaf Schultz said that the upcoming NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on July 11 and 12, "should focus on strengthening Ukraine's military power, rather than opening the process of joining the alliance."

Commenting on Schultz's remarks, Kuleba said to the German chancellor: "Do not repeat the mistake Chancellor Angela Merkel made in Bucharest in 2008, when she strongly opposed any progress towards Ukraine's membership in NATO."

In the interview, Kuleba warned Germany and others who advocate such a commitment of a similar outcome to the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, when Berlin and Paris rejected Ukraine and Georgia's membership in NATO.

Kuleba took issue with comments by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who said it was "impossible" for Ukraine to win the war against Russia. "I'm tired of responding to these meaningless arguments," Kuleba said, adding, "It's just bunk."

Kuliba's comments come ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for mid-July when Kyiv's membership application is set to be the most sensitive point politically, as Ukraine is looking to obtain a commitment from the alliance, but several allies say that a serious discussion about the accession process "cannot stop." It only happens after the Russian forces leave their territory.”

It is noteworthy that Ukraine obtained the status of a candidate to join the European Union a year ago, and hopes to start formal negotiations this year on what it needs to do to enhance its endeavors in this direction.