Ukraine with a high level of professionalism of our citizens is a valuable partner for NATO and the European Union. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, when he answered a question at the YES Brainstorming event organized by the Yalta European Strategy in Kyiv.
"We are not begging, but we are talking about what it seems to us – NATO needs us. It seems to us that there will be no strong EU without Ukraine. I speak about it openly. I believe that NATO will lose without Ukraine. I believe that without Ukraine, the EU will gradually weaken," the head of state said.
At the same time, he said that there are different opinions among the members of NATO and the European Union regarding Ukraine's place in these organizations.
"If you want Russia to become stronger, then don't take Ukraine. It's not even about counterbalancing Russia. We see who is powerful, being an empire. We have several empires in the world. If you want the EU to remain powerful and NATO to remain a subject, then countries such as Ukraine are needed – large, territorially the largest in Europe, powerful, which has survived several wars. If you want such strong partners, invite us," Zelenskyy said.
The President said that Ukraine is ready for NATO, in particular, given the high level of training of the Ukrainian military and other specialists.
"I think that the reforms that we are implementing are primarily necessary for us. Not to anyone – not for NATO, not for the EU, but we need it, they are for our people. But they are needed exactly those that allow people to live easier, to grow stronger economically," Zelenskyy said.
He recalled that a number of laws have already been passed in Ukraine that launch important reforms, but these processes are not very actively covered in the West, which distorts the idea of our country and the changes that are taking place in it.
"We are building our state for us and our people. We have moved on to a new stage [of relations with important countries and organizations]: there are partners, but there are real friends. It seems to me that Ukraine is already at a different stage, when we do not need strategic partners, but strategic friends. Let our partners talk about what we lack, and let our friends join Ukraine," the President said.
