Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak said that during a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the U.S. side fully supported Ukraine’s receipt of the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP).
“Today we received another confirmation of full support for Ukraine’s possible receipt of NATO Membership Action Plan. It is worth noting that there are many participants in the North Atlantic Alliance besides the United States, so the work continues. The United States is our strategic partner and fully supports our entry into NATO,” Yermak told Interfax-Ukraine, following a joint briefing by the U.S. Secretary of State and the President of Ukraine.
At the same time, according to the head of the President’s Office, there is no confirmation of Zelensky’s participation in the NATO summit in Brussels on June 14.
“Currently, there is no confirmation of the participation of the President of Ukraine in the NATO summit, which will take place in Brussels on June 14, within the framework of which it is planned to discuss Ukraine’s receipt of an Action Plan for joining the North Atlantic Alliance,” he said.
In addition, at the meeting, Blinken and Zelensky discussed in detail the issue of building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, Yermak said. “There are specifics. It consists in full support from the U.S. of Ukrainian interests regarding Nord Stream 2. The United States is categorically against its construction,” he said.
The President’s Office head also said the Ukrainian and U.S. sides discussed at the meeting the issue of strengthening cooperation in the Black Sea. “This issue has been discussed and is being discussed. We are considering various forms of our cooperation, including geopolitical and military ones. More specific details may become known to the public, I hope, soon,” Yermak said.
