As Russia rumbles, Ukraine inches closer to NATO membership

While Russian is facing internal turmoil over disloyalty and treachery among key instruments used by Kremlin to galvanize global influence, Ukraine has been working to foster its relationship with the world’s most powerful military and economic alliance, NATO.

Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, intensified his diplomatic offensive weekend with a tour of European nations, seeking military support and commitment of the leaders to admit his country into NATO, a membership that would commit them into direct participation in the raging wars with Russia.

At Ankara where he met with the Turkish government officials, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged support for Ukraine’s membership of NATO, adding that he hoped the Black Sea grain deal, which Turkey helped broker with Russia, would be extended.

The grain deal, The Oracle Today reports, is the only functioning trade in blockaded Ukraine. It is also seen as vital for world food security. The existing deal to create a safe passage for Ukrainian grain export is due to expire within days.

After invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russia blockaded vital grain exports from key Ukrainian Black Sea ports which meant that millions of tons of Ukrainian grain were not being exported to the many countries that rely on it.

President Erdogan also pledged continued efforts to negotiate an end to the war and also assist in the rebuilding of Ukraine.

Zelensky said Ukraine would regain control over Crimea and thanked Turkey for supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“I’m grateful to Turkey for supporting our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Zelensky said. “We talked about the situation in Crimea that Russia still unlawfully controls and uses as a bridgehead of threats and danger. In any case we will renew our control over Crimea.”

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Ankara after visits to Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, to address topics concerning post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and defense contracts between Ukrainian and Turkish companies.

Slovakia to supply Ukraine with 16 Zuzana 2 howitzers.

Turkish media had reported that after a meeting with Zelenskyy, Erdogan might engage in talks with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Earlier on July 7, Zelenskyy arrived in Slovakia following visits to Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. These trips occur in the lead-up to the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12, where Ukraine hopes for a definitive indication of its future membership in the Alliance

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, has said that Allied leaders would adopt a package for Ukraine at the upcoming summit in Vilnius that will include three main elements.

Stoltenberg said the leaders would agree on a multi-year programme of assistance to ensure full interoperability between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and NATO.

He added that the summit would renew political ties between Ukraine and NATO by establishing a NATO-Ukraine Council; and also reaffirm that Ukraine would become a NATO member and to unite on how to bring Ukraine closer to its goal.

He added that NATO will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era to NATO equipment and standards.

President  Zelenskyy had called on US President Joe Biden to invite Ukraine to join NATO now, even if the country joins the Alliance after the war.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said that it would be possible to agree on commitments to Ukraine that would not disappoint Ukrainians at the NATO summit in Vilnius.