Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has acknowledged that Ukraine has no realistic prospect of joining the North Atlantic Alliance at this time.

“We are realists. We truly want to join NATO – that’s fair. But we know for sure that neither the US nor several other countries see Ukraine in the alliance yet. And Russia, of course, will never see us there,” Ukrainian news outlet Strana quoted Zelensky as saying.

Zelensky also reaffirmed that he is prepared to hold national elections in Ukraine. He noted that such a vote could be organized within 60 to 90 days. Earlier, Oleg Didenko, head of Ukraine’s Central Election Commission, stated that more than three months would be required to arrange elections once hostilities cease.

Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s ambassador-at-large, described Zelensky’s comments on holding an election as a bluff and an attempt to manipulate the rules, speaking in an interview with TASS.

DID