A top Ukrainian government official said his country should become a member of NATO, even if doing so goes against "the darkest of red lines" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yevhen Perebyinis made the statement at a conference in Kyiv that centered on Ukrainian issues that could be discussed at NATO's upcoming summit, European Pravda reported on Tuesday.
On July 11-12, the military alliance will meet in Vilnius, Lithuania, and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has said security guarantees for Ukraine will be a topic of discussion. However, Stoltenberg also stated earlier this month that Ukraine should not expect a formal invitation for NATO membership at the summit.
Ukraine joining NATO has often been referred to as a "red line" for Putin, meaning such a move could lead to Russia responding with an escalation to the war.
Putin has reportedly long been opposed to Ukraine being admitted into the bloc, and he has been outspoken about the expansion of NATO along Russia's borders.
During the early weeks of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the two countries reportedly discussed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky committing to not joining NATO in exchange for a ceasefire. That condition was dropped when peace talks were halted.
Perebyinis took up the call for Ukraine to become part of NATO while speaking at the Kyiv conference, according to European Pravda.
"The Vilnius summit can be considered successful if the allies take a decisive step from vague formulations about Ukraine's NATO membership to a clear algorithm that shows how and when it will happen," Perebyinis said.
The Ukrainian official went on to downplay how Putin may react to Ukraine joining NATO.
"In fact, Ukraine is already a NATO member and effectively defends the eastern flank," Perebyinis said.
He added, "To finally acknowledge this reality, we need to abandon the myths that Russia has spread among NATO members for years, explaining that Ukraine's membership in NATO is the darkest of red lines. This will allow us to overcome Russian blackmail."
Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email for comment.
Perebyinis' comments come as a letter signed by more than 70 Ukrainian civil groups—including think tanks, media outlets and human rights organizations—urged NATO to invite Ukraine to join the bloc.
The letter, which was shared with the press on Monday, emphasized that "invitation does not imply immediate accession," since it took Finland nearly a year to become a NATO member in what was considered the fastest-ever admission.
The appeal also said NATO should not be concerned about any Russian red lines.
"There is no reason to fear escalation because Putin himself is afraid of it, knowing that the Russian army has no chance in a military confrontation with NATO," the letter read.
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