KYIV, July 6 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may not attend the upcoming NATO summit, according to officials, a development that could undercut Kyiv’s diplomatic push for sustained Western support.
If confirmed, Zelensky’s exclusion from the summit would mark a shift in NATO’s approach. The record shows Ukraine has relied on high-profile appearances by its president to maintain international attention and secure military aid, including air defense systems and artillery.
The decision, should it hold, signals that alliance members are prioritizing internal cohesion over Ukraine’s immediate needs. Ukraine submitted its NATO membership application in September 2022. That application remains pending.
The summit is expected to issue a communiqué reaffirming NATO’s “open door” policy. According to the statement, however, no concrete timeline for Ukraine’s accession will be included. This represents a continuation of the alliance’s cautious posture toward membership for Kyiv.
Future summits, such as the 2025 meeting in The Hague, may revisit the issue.
Zelensky’s absence from the gathering could weaken Ukraine’s leverage at a critical moment. The country continues to press for advanced weaponry and long-term security guarantees as the war with Russia grinds into its fourth year.
The potential exclusion comes as some NATO members express fatigue with the conflict’s demands on their defense budgets and political capital. Officials confirmed that the alliance is weighing how to balance support for Ukraine with internal strategic priorities.
For Kyiv, the stakes are high. The summit has been viewed as an opportunity to lock in commitments from Western partners. Without Zelensky in the room, Ukrainian diplomats face a harder task in securing concrete pledges.
The record shows that high-level personal diplomacy has been a cornerstone of Ukraine’s wartime strategy. Zelensky has addressed numerous parliaments and international bodies since February 2022, often securing pledges of aid through direct appeals.
A shift away from that model could force Ukraine to adjust its approach, relying more on back-channel negotiations and written proposals.
The summit communiqué, while reaffirming the open-door policy, will likely leave Ukraine in a familiar position: acknowledged but not admitted. The lack of a timeline means the question of membership remains deferred.
Observers will watch whether the 2025 summit in The Hague produces a different outcome. For now, the message from NATO appears to be one of solidarity without commitment.
