Ukraine still wants NATO membership after confusion it might drop calls for peace with Russia

Ukraine has insisted it still wants to be a member of NATO following confusion it might drop its calls in exchange for peace with Russia.

Over the weekend, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK said Kyiv was willing to be “flexible” over its goal to join the military alliance.

Its insistence on wanting to be part of NATO has prompted Russia to amass more than 130,000 troops on the border with Ukraine, with the UK and US warning it could invade the former Soviet republic this week.

But Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko told Sky News “we are not looking at that” when asked if Ukraine wants to pull its call for NATO membership to halt an invasion.

Mr Prystaiko said pursuing membership is “enshrined in our constitution and more than 50% of Ukrainians believe we have no other way but to go to NATO” to ensure Ukraine’s security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also told a news conference: “Of course, we’d like to become members of NATO, it’s stipulated in Ukraine’s constitution.”

He said he thinks reporters “misunderstood” Mr Prystaiko’s comments and it was more a question of dealing with the situation now because they do not know when they will become NATO members.

“How long will it take Ukraine to go and reach the end of this path to reach NATO?” he added.

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