Zelensky sees Ukraine on the way to the EU and NATO
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his delight at the European Parliament’s support for his country’s accession to NATO and the EU. “The European Parliament has adopted a powerful resolution in support of our people’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” he said in his daily video address on Thursday. There is now a clear appeal to EU leaders to chart a path for accession.
The EU Parliament had previously called on NATO to pave the way for Ukraine to join the western defense alliance after the end of the Russian war of aggression. A non-binding resolution passed in Strasbourg on Thursday said the accession process should start after the end of the war and be completed as soon as possible. 425 MEPs voted in favor, 38 against. 42 abstained. Until full NATO membership, the EU and NATO should develop a temporary framework for security guarantees, which is to be implemented immediately after the war.
Zelensky also praised efforts in the US to confiscate Russian property and hand it over to Ukraine. “In dictatorships like Russia’s, money is of the highest value.” The rulers would sacrifice hundreds of thousands of human lives without hesitation, but not their fortunes. If they were now deprived of their money, they felt that the war was actually bringing them losses, said Zelenski.