Ukrainian President Zelensky expects NATO accession after war's end

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky does not expect his country to join NATO during the country's war with Russia.

"In my personal opinion, we will only join NATO after we have won," he said at a joint event with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on Tuesday.

All 32 NATO members must agree to admit a new country. Several members have expressed fears over the risk of Ukraine joining the alliance, worried that their own troops could get pulled into direct conflict with Russia.

"For Ukraine to be accepted into the alliance politically, it needs victory," said Zelensky.

Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for more two years with the support of NATO member states.

In 2019, Kiev enshrined the goal of NATO membership in its constitution. Preventing Ukraine's accession is one of Russia's declared war aims.