Mateusz Morawiecki: Ukraine deserves a quick path to NATO

PM Mateusz Morawiecki said that he believes that in the struggle for its independence, Ukraine is also fighting for the possibility of peace for Europe. That is why, according to the Polish Prime Minister, Kyiv deserves to become a member of the North Atlantic Alliance.

This was reported by RAP

"Even if Ukraine is not part of NATO today, it is fighting in its interests in the sense that it is defending itself against the brutal Russian force that could threaten many NATO countries. I believe that Ukraine deserves to be offered a very quick path to NATO," the Prime Minister said.

Mateusz Morawiecki believes that the issue of Ukraine's accession to the Alliance is now more important than certain problems of the Ukrainian state system. The Polish Prime Minister also urged Western countries that do not border Russia to be more active in helping Ukraine.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said at the recent European Political Community Summit that he expects very quick steps on Ukraine's path to NATO and expects effective security guarantees for the country's transition to membership in the bloc to be announced at the upcoming NATO Summit, which will be held on July 11-12 in Vilnius.

"At the NATO summit, there should be a clear path to membership and security guarantees should be approved," the President said in his EPC speech.

The President's words were later confirmed by Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Havrylov in an interview with Politico. He said that Kyiv wants to join the Alliance within a short time immediately after the victory in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Havrylov also noted that NATO should provide Ukraine with a list of clear steps that the country should take to join the bloc.

"We would like to hear the plan or roadmap, or a list of actions to be done by both sides — NATO and Ukraine — to achieve the membership in a very short period of time," Havrylov said.

The deputy minister also acknowledged that Kyiv will not be able to join the North Atlantic Alliance as long as the country is in a full-scale war. However, at the same time, Havrylov announced the intention of the Ukrainian side to agree with the bloc on an effective "system of security guarantees" for the period of the war. Such guarantees would include the commitment of NATO member states to help Kyiv win the war, support the Ukrainian economy, and continue sanctions pressure on Russia.