The Ukrainian side is ready for dialogue with Moscow, as well as for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, but first, Kiev must systematically strengthen its national security. This statement was made by the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky during a press conference following talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

“We are ready to negotiate with Russia, we are ready to fulfill the Minsk agreements, but first we must be able to protect ourselves and increase our defense capability politically, militarily and economically,” said Zelensky.

The head of state reaffirmed that the strategic course of Ukraine is aimed at obtaining full membership in the European Union and NATO "and will remain unchanged." According to him, Kiev must first carry out the necessary reforms that will bring the country closer to the standards of the EU and the North Atlantic Alliance.

“Ukraine’s movement towards high European standards of living is the goal of our society. The goal of all our reforms is to raise the living standards of all Ukrainians, eradicate corruption and modernize the state. This can be achieved only by ensuring our national security, ”the Ukrainian leader added.

He also called the “continuing Russian aggression” a serious challenge to Euro-Atlantic stability, in the light of which NATO should make additional efforts to ensure security in the Black Sea region.

In turn, Stoltenberg recalled that at the beginning of July in the Black Sea will be held the traditional international exercises Sea Breeze - 2019, which will be attended by units of 17 NATO countries. In total, it is planned to attract about 30 ships, 30 aircraft and more than 900 personnel from the marine units of different countries to the maneuvers.

Answering journalists' questions about how a change in the country's military leadership may influence Ukraine’s strategy and the situation in the Donbas, Zelensky said that the upcoming June 5 Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) meeting will be attended by the new Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ruslan Homchak. At the same time, he refrained from disclosing any information on the forthcoming negotiations, promising to later publish all available materials.

“There have been some suggestions. As for the return to the Minsk agreements, we are talking about a cease-fire, we need to exchange prisoners of war and discuss other issues ... We are planning to begin active work in the area of ​​humanitarian assistance, ”Zelensky added.

Pretty annoying ally

According to Crimea State Duma deputy Ruslan Balbek, Zelensky’s statements made in Brussels are perceived to be quite “slippery,” because he speaks to Europeans about the desire to achieve peace, and sends a signal to the Ukrainian establishment about continuing the war and sticking to the accepted trend of “Russian aggression”.

“I admit that Europe would like to reduce the intensity in relations with Russia, and Zelensky also remembers a future visit to the United States, where you have to ask for money and weapons. On the other hand, is Russia ready to communicate with Zelensky, who calls her an aggressor and demands that the West strengthen sanctions against our country. This is a dialogue behind closed doors: when there is something to talk about, but one of the parties does not have a desire to agree, ”the interlocutor noted.

According to Dmitry Belik, a State Duma deputy from Sevastopol, Zelensky’s phrase about readiness for negotiations with Russia may indicate that the Europeans put pressure on the new president of Ukraine because of delaying the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

“It is not surprising that for Europe, Ukraine waggling from side to side, not wishing to stop civil conflict on its territory, is already a pretty boring ally. And in order to finally put it in place, in Brussels, apparently, they hinted very transparently: either the continuation of financial assistance in the case of the implementation of the Minsk Agreements by Ukraine, or Kiev with the Donbas understands itself, ”the parliamentarian said.

At the same time, Yury Pochta, a professor at the Department of Comparative Political Science at the RUDN University, expressed the opinion that alienation from Russia is fraught with serious consequences for Ukraine.

“In Europe, Ukraine will not be its own anyway, in the EU and NATO Ukraine is not going to accept. Thus, Zelensky agrees that Ukraine will be on the sidelines in Europe, that it is ready to become a periphery of the Western world, which itself is in a serious crisis and Ukraine will not seriously help, ”the expert believes.

He also noted that during his visit to Brussels, Zelensky confirmed the consent of Ukraine to participate in the geopolitical game of the West against Russia.

“Unfortunately, here Ukraine turns out to be a springboard for the European offensive on Russia, first of all, the NATO offensive ... This visit, although formally, confirms the previous trends,” the political scientist stated.

  • Juncker was asked if he misses Poroshenko

Symbolic visit

A trip to Brussels was for Zelensky the first foreign visit as president of Ukraine. In addition to Stoltenberg, the Ukrainian leader on the first day met with the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, as well as the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda.

According to the regulations, Zelensky’s meeting with Juncker was held without press statements, but during the photographing ceremony one of the journalists asked the EC president if he misses his “old friend” Petro Poroshenko.

“I have a new one,” noted Juncker, and Zelensky, in turn, added: “I’m better. New is better than old.

In addition, on Tuesday, Zelensky took part in a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO commission at ambassadorial level, and also held talks with the European Commission president on issues of the euro, social dialogue, financial stability and financial services Valdis Dombrovskis. On the second day of the working visit, meetings are scheduled with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and the head of European diplomacy, Federica Mogherini.

Ukrainian experts point out that trips like the one that Zelensky now makes to Brussels are most often perceived rather symbolically. At one time, President Viktor Yushchenko made his first visit to Moscow, and Viktor Yanukovych to Brussels. As a result, the first one failed to establish relations with Russia, and the second board ended with “euromaidan”, noted Vasily Filipchuk, head of the Kiev International Center for Advanced Studies, in his column on UNIAN.

He also stated that the date and time of Zelensky’s visit to Brussels echoed the fact that on June 6 in Normandy large-scale events would take place, timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the landing of Allied forces. It is possible that after a trip to Brussels, the Ukrainian leader will travel to Normandy, where the leadership of the United States, Great Britain, France and Germany will be present.

To a certain extent, the fact that the European Council President Donald Tusk and the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, will soon leave their positions, also speaks of the symbolic nature of the visit. After the elections to the European Parliament at the end of May, a new EU leadership will be formed by the fall.

Director of the Ukrainian Institute for Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik expressed the opinion that the trip to Brussels will become the “eyes” of the new presidential team, during which the entourage of Zelensky will try to pick up the areas of communication and cooperation that Ukraine had in the Poroshenko era with NATO and the EU in terms of financing military and political support.

“Specific negotiations and agreements between Zelensky and his team on the one hand and Western partners on the other will be worked out after parliamentary elections and the formation of a new government,” the expert believes.