Zelensky warned about reducing drone production without assistance and opposed amendments to the Constitution regarding NATO
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that if Ukraine does not receive the appropriate financial tranche in the spring, the country will be forced to reduce the production of drones. He specified that in peacetime, these funds will go to reconstruction, and in the event of a continuation of the war, to the production of drones. He announced this at a press conference after participating in a meeting of the European Council.
In addition, he emphasized that he sees no need to change the country’s constitutional course towards joining NATO, despite the existing difficulties in relations with the United States on this issue.
Zelensky emphasized that the United States’ skeptical attitude towards Ukraine’s prospects in NATO was formed during the previous administration. He noted that even before the start of the full-scale war, he asked former President Biden about the possibility of Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance, to which he received a negative answer. According to the president, he repeated this question repeatedly, which sometimes caused a smile from his interlocutors in the White House.
At the same time, Volodymyr Zelensky noted that he was not given any specific arguments against Ukraine’s membership.
“If they tell me that in principle there is nothing against it, but Ukraine will not be in NATO, it means that someone is still against it. And we need to openly name who exactly is against it, the president emphasized.
Previously, politicians in Ukraine expressed the opinion that the main factor blocking its movement towards NATO is Russia, which some allied states agree with, but Zelensky did not clarify this in Brussels.
The president recalled that the goal of Ukraine’s accession to NATO is enshrined in the Constitution of the state. “I do not consider it necessary to change the Constitution of our state on this issue. The decision should remain with the Ukrainian people, and not be made under the influence of external factors, including Russia, he stressed, expressing his belief that membership in the Alliance remains the best option for security guarantees for Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed hope that the United States’ policy regarding Ukraine’s accession to NATO may change over time.
