Ukraine is not just fighting for its membership in NATO, we fight for the NATO itself – Arseniy Yatsenyuk at the KSF

A united and free Europe is impossible without a free Ukraine, which will prevail in this war. And Ukraine will win this war. And Ukraine will become a member of NATO, - stressed Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine 2014-2016 when opening the 15^th KSF on May 25, 2023.

The name of this year’s Forum – “Fighting for NATO” – has a double meaning, stressed Arseniy Yatsenyuk: “We, Ukraine, are fighting for membership in the Alliance. And we are also fighting for NATO itself. For the security of each member country of the Alliance. We, Ukraine, are fighting for our freedom and for yours as well.”

He emphasized that a united and free Europe is impossible without a free Ukraine, which will win this war: “Ukraine will prevail in this war. And Ukraine will become a member of NATO.”

“There are many reasons as to why Ukraine should acquire membership in NATO and the EU and why it should win the war. Still, complicated diplomatic language can be translated into simple words: we owe it to the present. We owe it to those who were killed and tortured in Irpin, Bucha and Mariupol. We owe it to the children who lost their parents. We owe it to millions of Ukrainians who want to return home. And this repay this debt in only one way – by guaranteeing Ukraine’s security, by ensuring that the Ukrainian state is under the umbrella of NATO,” stated the head of the KSF.

"We owe it to history. There are stories of those who were killed in Soviet camps, who fought for independent Ukraine near Kruty. There are stories of European countries enslaved by the Soviet occupation. And this debt must also be redeemed – through the expansion of NATO and the expansion of world democracy,” said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Noteworthy, the 15th annual Kyiv security forum “For Our and Your Freedom / Fighting for NATO” will be held on May 25-26, 2023, with the participation of well-known international figures. In particular, at the Forum, the KSF Security Council will be formed and a policy document will be adopted with recommendations for the NATO summit in Vilnius to be held this July.