UKRAINE, Oct 23— According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine should receive an invitation to join NATO before the war ends. This is “a matter of principle,” the President said at a meeting with journalists on October 21, BBC reports.

On October 16, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the details of his Victory Plan to a Ukrainian audience for the first time. He made his speech in the Parliament in front of MPs, and Ukraine’s ascension to NATO is the first step in his plan. 

According to Zelenskyy, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy may support Ukraine’s invitation to NATO. As for Germany, “the situation mostly depends on the United States,” Zelenskyy explained.

Zelenskyy hopes the United States will be active after the elections, as they “do not want to take unnecessary risks” now.

The President also added that Ukraine is not discussing joining NATO in exchange for the occupied territories. 

On October 20, the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Gerry Connolly, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the entirety of Ukraine should join the Alliance geographically, not just “the part of the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.”  According to him, the issue of restoring sovereignty over all territories must first be resolved.

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