Ukraine prioritizing security guarantees over immediate NATO membership, senior diplomat says

Ukraine’s accession to NATO remains on the agenda but diplomatic efforts currently focus on obtaining strong security guarantees, Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine’s newly-appointed envoy to the U.N., told Berliner Morgenpost on Dec. 27.

Ukrainian officials have consistently presented NATO membership as the only way toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, though acknowledging that the entry itself is unlikely before a ceasefire.

Melnyk emphasized that Ukraine's current focus is on securing robust guarantees for its defense rather than pursuing NATO membership in the immediate term.

This comes as an apparent shift in rhetoric after the Foreign Ministry rejected any security guarantees that would substitute full membership in the alliance earlier this month.

"Our partners should carefully write down what military means they will use to defend Ukraine if Russia attacks again," Melnyk said, highlighting the need for guarantees beyond "purely political promises" like the Budapest Memorandum.

Melnyk, who has held ambassadorial posts in Germany and Brazil, said these guarantees could take the form of bilateral or multilateral agreements with the EU and NATO countries and might also become part of a broader peace treaty with Russia.

Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons from the Soviet era in the Budapest Memorandum in 1994. The U.S. and Russia, among others, promised to recognize Ukraine's borders and ensure its security.

Melnyk's comments come as Ukraine's NATO aspirations continue to face resistance from several member states, including Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary. Washington is also unlikely to be receptive, as members of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's team have largely spoken out against a quick accession for Kyiv.