Ukrainian FM: Kyiv's membership in NATO should not be off the table
Ukraine’s NATO membership must remain on the international agenda, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 12, stressing that Kyiv’s integration is essential for long-term transatlantic security.
“This is not just about Ukraine,” Sybiha said. “This is about transatlantic security. It’s about our contribution.”
He emphasized that Ukraine currently fields 110 combat-ready brigades, describing them as a “realistic, true contribution to future security — and, by the way, the cheapest one.”
Sybiha also criticized Russia for violating all 10 principles of the Helsinki Final Act and highlighted the problems within the UN. “This year, we mark 80 years of the UN Charter. Why do I mention this? Because it is important that international law should be law, not simply declarations or words,” he said.
He added that the global system had proven “dysfunctional” and “unjust” in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “We need new enforcement tools. We need reforms. We need reforms in the UN and, by the way, in humanitarian law — in the Geneva Conventions. We must update them, not only for Ukraine but for other countries like Syria. Having such a bitter experience, we are ready to contribute.”
Addressing the ongoing war, Sybiha reaffirmed Ukraine’s desire for peace but warned against the misuse of the term. “We want to end this war this year. But it is important not to manipulate,” he said.
“How this war ends will determine the future security architecture of Europe — it depends on the future security of every family in Europe,” he said. “That is why achieving a long-term and clear peace is fundamentally important.”
Sybiha also condemned Russia for escalating attacks on Ukraine despite Kyiv’s commitment to a full ceasefire.
“Yesterday marked exactly one month since Ukraine unconditionally supported a full ceasefire,” he said. “Instead of this, Russia has only escalated its terror,” Sybiha said
According to the foreign minister, Russian forces have launched nearly 70 missiles, more than 2,020 Shahed drones, and over 6,000 guided aerial bombs over the past month — most of them targeting civilian areas.
“This clearly shows the world who truly wants peace and who is committed to war,” he said.
