President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO to admit Ukraine during the alliance’s annual summit in Ankara. Zelenskyy argued that Ukraine’s developed defensive capabilities would strengthen collective security. The request comes as U.S. President Donald Trump pursues a mediated peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Why Zelenskyy is pushing for NATO membership now
Zelenskyy’s appeal at the NATO defense industry forum centers on the military evolution of his country during five years of conflict. He argues that excluding a nation with Ukraine’s current defensive experience is illogical, suggesting that integrating these capabilities would make all of us stronger.
According to The Guardian, Zelenskyy claims Ukraine has developed nearly all the weaponry it requires, with the exception of a European-led alternative to U.S. Patriot systems for ballistic missile defense. This urgency is underscored by recent Russian aggression; on Monday, 23 ballistic missiles struck Kyiv, killing 15 people. Zelenskyy noted that none of those specific missiles were intercepted due to a shortage of Patriot interceptors.
The Ukrainian president also highlighted a shift in the war’s geography. He cited a recent strike on an oil refinery in Omsk, Siberia—located 1,680 miles from the border—as evidence that Russia no longer possesses a strategic rear.
The Trump-Putin mediation and the ‘Article 5’ compromise
While Zelenskyy seeks full membership, U.S. President Donald Trump has consistently ruled out Ukraine joining the transatlantic bloc. Instead, the White House is floating a different security architecture.
As CNBC reported, U.S. officials stated that about 90% of the issues between Ukraine and Russia have been resolved. A primary point of contention is the nature of security guarantees. Zelenskyy has expressed a willingness to abandon the pursuit of NATO membership if he receives Article 5-like security protections—essentially a mutual defense clause that would trigger a collective response to future attacks.
However, Trump’s definition of security guarantees differs from the expectations of European allies.
“I think they both want to make a deal. … I think we’re going to get it settled, hopefully soon,”
Donald Trump, U.S. President, via The Guardian
Trump has explicitly ruled out sending U.S. troops to Ukraine to enforce a peace deal.
European reactions
European leaders are attempting to bridge the gap between Trump’s isolationist tendencies and Ukraine’s need for survival.
The stakes for Europe are high.
Key Divergences in Peace Negotiations
The path to a final deal remains obstructed by fundamental disagreements over land and sovereignty.
| Issue | Ukraine’s Position | Russia’s Position |
|---|---|---|
| NATO Membership | Prepared to abandon pursuit in exchange for strong security guarantees. | Firm opposition. |
| Territory | Zelenskyy has to date refused to cede any land. | Putin has demanded that Ukraine must surrender territory for the war to end. |
| Foreign Troops | Seeks robust, legally binding mutual defense commitments. |
Russia is reportedly open to Ukraine joining the European Union, but the Kremlin remains adamant that Ukraine must remain outside of NATO.
Internal instability and the Monaco bombing twist
The diplomatic push for peace is coinciding with a security scandal that threatens to embarrass Kyiv. Ukrainian prosecutors recently announced that a woman suspected of a bombing in Monaco, Anastasiia Berezovska, was found shot dead near Kyiv.
The case is politically sensitive because it involves an officer from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR). According to The Guardian, the HUR officer was allegedly acting on his own initiative and had received cryptocurrency payments from Berezovska. The bombing targeted Vadym Iermolaiev, a Ukraine-born businessman living in Monaco who had been sanctioned by Kyiv in 2023 for maintaining business links with Russian entities in occupied Crimea.
This development arrives at a precarious moment. As Zelenskyy seeks to project strength and legitimacy at the NATO summit, evidence of intelligence services conducting operations on European soil could damage the very western support he is fighting to preserve.
What happens next in the Ankara summit
The immediate focus shifts to a bilateral meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy scheduled for Wednesday lunchtime in Ankara. This follows a weekend of separate calls between Trump and Vladimir Putin.
The outcome depends on whether Trump can persuade Putin to accept a security framework that satisfies Kyiv without triggering a Russian escalation. While Trump has expressed optimism that a deal can be gotten settled, hopefully soon, the reality on the ground remains brutal.
With Russia continuing massive aerial assaults and Ukraine expanding its long-range strike capabilities into the Russian heartland, the window for a negotiated peace is narrowing.
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