Zelenskyi doesn’t link Russia’s aggression to Ukraine’s wanting to join NATO

President Volodymyr Zelenskyi doesn't believe that Ukraine's wanting to join NATO should be linked to Russia's aggression.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi stated this in a conversation with journalists during the 1st day of the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Country Security."

"We love to philosophize, and about NATO: (what will happen) if we join NATO, Russia really doesn't want it; if we get the MAP, a full-fledged war will start.

And what happened in 2014? Have we received the MAP (NATO Membership Action Plan – ed.) or have we joined the European Union? What happened? I believe nothing happened. That's not why Russia did it. It's all talk. Russia simply defended its interests because (allegedly) there could be American military bases on the territory of Ukraine.

I think the reasons were different. There were very many of them. I'm confident that someday we'll find the time and history will find all the answers, which is why there was such a serious escalation, and annexation, and the loss of all our relations," the President said.