Volodymyr Zelensky will be at the NATO summit in Ankara, but not at the podium. The Telegraph reported that, unlike in earlier years, the Ukrainian president is not expected to give a speech to the assembled leaders. In the paper’s account, the alliance chose to set the whole Ukraine question aside “for fear of offending Trump.”
Zelensky is attending as a guest, the newspaper said, and not as part of the main programme. That is a weaker position than the one he has held at past gatherings.
The Telegraph described the meeting as a test of “the unity, resolve, and security of the alliance,” and named two threats to it. The first is Trump himself, who has complained that NATO does not back him and is pulling American troops out of Europe. The second is a widening split over who pays for Ukraine. Some of Kyiv’s Central European allies now refuse to put up money. On the eve of the summit, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told his delegation to be careful with anything it says about further financial help.
The news outlet News.by, summarising the Telegraph piece, added that Kyiv has managed to fall out with Warsaw at the worst possible moment, and that the quarrel is wrecking the Ukrainian agenda. It also put the priority bluntly: sparing the nerves of the man in the White House, not sitting through the usual appeals for more weapons.
Zelensky has his own plans for the trip. He said he intends to press for faster delivery of interceptor missiles for air defense. The Telegraph’s verdict was that goodwill from countries once counted among Kyiv’s closest allies has become scarce.
Sources
- Telegraph: Zelensky will not be allowed to speak at the NATO summit to avoid offending Trump.
- Media: Zelensky to be left out of NATO summit
