Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak took part in an open discussion at the Atlantic Council. The event was attended by more than 800 people, including military officers, diplomats, economists, representatives of the media and academic community.
The Head of the President's Office and Co-Chair of the International Working Group on Security Guarantees for Ukraine, former NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister of Denmark in 2001-2009 Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed their opinion on the prospects of Ukraine's membership in the Alliance, expected results of the NATO Summit in Vilnius and security guarantees for our country.
During the meeting, Andriy Yermak expressed his belief that Ukraine should not only defeat Russia, but also integrate into the North Atlantic community and receive reliable security guarantees for the transition period.
"The people of Ukraine have proven to the world the right to remain free. They have paid with blood, sweat and tears for their place in the ranks of the global community of democracies. To deny them now is not only to deprive Ukraine of hope. To deny them now is to betray everything that Ukraine has paid for with tens of thousands of lives and destruction that Europe has not seen since World War II. It would be a defeat for the democratic community. It will be a triumph for dictatorship. This must be prevented. Not only for the sake of Ukraine, but for the sake of all democracies on the planet," the Head of the Presidential Office emphasized.
He said that Ukraine should receive all the help it needs, because the Russian dictatorship's desire to restore the empire not only threatens the existence of the Ukrainian state, but also poses threats - from military to environmental - to Western civilization and humanity as a whole.
"Ukraine must win. "Not losing" is not an option for us. Simply restoring the status quo is not an option. Any uncertainty about the outcome of this war, any ambiguity in NATO's reaction to our aspirations will be equivalent to Russian victory," he emphasized.
Andriy Yermak reminded that during the full-scale war, the international community was able to see that Russia was taking advantage of the world's uncertainty and hesitation, so Russia needs to be deprived of this "gray" zone, where it has an advantage.
"The words that Russia has no veto in the Alliance must finally be backed up by deeds. The 15-year shadow ban for Ukraine must end. Otherwise, Putin will receive a huge bonus for his next presidential term - the laurels of not only a land gatherer, but also a winner of the West. This will only strengthen support for his regime and create the illusion of legitimacy of aggression not only for the Russian public, but also for the countries of the Global South through the inevitable falsification of elections in the occupied territories. Therefore, we must act proactively. We need to dot the i's and cross the t's once and for all," the Head of the Presidential Office said.
Therefore, in his opinion, Ukraine should receive a clear prospect of NATO membership when circumstances allow, and reliable security guarantees for the transition period.
Andriy Yermak reminded that the possible outlines of these guarantees were developed jointly with Anders Fogh Rasmussen and presented in the draft Kyiv Security Compact. The document provides for extensive possibilities for modifications to balance the interests of Ukraine and the guarantor states for the common good.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, for his part, also expressed the opinion that the Vilnius Summit should adopt a decision in support of Ukraine's membership in the Alliance and provide our country with security guarantees on its way to NATO, as the neutral status of our country will not provide any guarantees, but will only contribute to the Russian President's attempts to continue aggression.
In conclusion, the Head of the President's Office noted that Ukrainians believe in their victory, but our courageous and resilient soldiers need the necessary weapons and ammunition. He expressed hope that the partners would make a decision to provide long-range missiles in the near future.