Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK on Monday clarified remarks about possibly dropping a bid for Nato membership, saying the country would not be reconsidering its attempt to join the military alliance.
Asked whether or not Ukraine might reconsider its ambitions to join Nato, Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko told the BBC in English: “No this is not and I am quite happy that I have this chance to clarify my position.”
Prystaiko said an earlier BBC report was the result of a misunderstanding.
“We are not a member of Nato right now and to avoid war we are ready for many concessions and that is what we are doing in conversations with the Russians,” Prystaiko said. “It has nothing to do with Nato which is enshrined in the constitution.”
“It is not a delay to our ambitions to be in Nato- what we are talking about is that we are not in the family now so we have to look for something else like bilateral agreements with the UK, with the United States,” he said. “So on top of Nato we are looking for some other arrangements which would allow us to survive at this particular ordeal right now.”
Asked again if Ukraine was shifting its bid to become a NATO member, he said: “No.”
Earlier Mr Prystaiko told BBC Radio 5 the country would, due to threats and blackmail, consider “serious concessions” including removing the goal of joining the Nato alliance from the Ukrainian constitution.
It comes as Boris Johnson is due to join last-ditch diplomatic efforts in Europe across the next 48 hours and Armed Forces Minister James Heappey warned an attack was “very imminent”.
Mr Heappey stressed that “minutes” after Vladimir Putin had given the order, missiles could be hitting Ukraine.
He emphasised that the Russian president had now deployed all the military assets needed for an invasion which could be launched with no “notice”.
The UK and other Nato allies have urged their citizens to flee Ukraine and some airlines have cancelled flights to Kyiv amid growing concerns that the estimated 130,000 Russian troops amassed on the border could be poised to attack.
