The United States is not ready to invite Ukraine to join NATO today, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 30 in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer.
"They (the U.S.) are talking about it openly. President (Joe) Biden is talking about it. And (Donald) Trump says that if it were not for NATO, the war might not have started," Zelensky said.
"We hear both opinions of the two parties. And this suggests that no one sees Ukraine in NATO today. Unfortunately."
Ukraine has voiced hope that NATO's July summit in Washington will bring a more definite signal about Ukraine's future membership in the alliance. American officials made it clear that the country is unlikely to receive an invitation.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said earlier that Ukraine has to win the war with Russia before becoming a NATO member.
"It is so-called 'one step forward, two steps back' policy. I do not think that this is the policy of world leaders," Zelensky said.
"If America is afraid of irritating (Vladimir) Putin, and that is why we are not invited, then we ask the United States to give us as much as possible that can protect us (from Russian aggression)."
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine desperately needs Patriot air defense systems and F-16 fighter jets to defend itself from Russia.
Kyiv and Washington signed a 10-year bilateral security deal at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, said to be a "bridge to Ukraine's eventual membership in NATO."
Unlike NATO, the U.S.-Ukraine security deal does not require an American military response if Ukraine is attacked but outlines a long-term defense and other assistance to Kyiv.
Dmytro Basmat
