Leonid Kravchuk: Ukraine must apply to join NATO

Former Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk says Ukraine should join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

He said it in an interview with the newspaper Den, censor.net reports.

“Being a person, who earlier advocated the principles of Ukraine's neutrality due to its geopolitical position and special relations with Russia (I was among the authors of the declaration on the neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status of Ukraine in the 1990s), I now think we should immediately apply for NATO's membership,” Leonid Kravchuk said.

He thinks Ukraine doesn't have other protection from the 'elder brother'. Leonid Kravchuk noted talks and concessions don't work with Russia. “There are many questions to the current authorities. They cancel laws quickly and raised the question on languages that escalated the situation. They should think twice when making decisions and remember that Ukraine has Sevastopol and Lviv,” he added.

The former president thinks there will always be reasons for a conflict if interests of only one side are taken into account.