Ukraine open to discussing ‘non-NATO models’

Ukraine is not willing to compromise on its territorial integrity in talks with Russia but is open to discussing “non- NATO models” for its future, in a wider forum, one of its negotiators told Fox News.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance among 28 European countries and 2 North American countries. Established in the aftermath of World War II, the organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty, signed 4 April 1949.

NATO constitutes a system of collective security, whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. The NATO headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium.

Russia fears NATO has been encroaching on its territory by taking on new members in eastern Europe and that admitting Ukraine would bring Nato forces into its backyard. Nato says it is a purely defensive alliance. Its secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “brutal act of war”.

Ukraine has pursued membership of the European Union and NATO, both opposed by Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO as evidence of what he portrays as NATO aggression toward Russia.

“The response that we are getting from the NATO countries is that they are not ready to even discuss having us in NATO, not for the next period of five or 10 years,” negotiator David Arakhamia said in remarks published on the Fox News website late on Saturday.

“We are ready to discuss some non-NATO models. For example, there could be direct guarantees by different countries like the U.S., China, the UK, maybe Germany, and France. We are open to discussing such things in a broader circle, not only in bilateral discussions with Russia but also with other partners.”

Delegations from Ukraine and Russia have had two rounds of talks since Russia launched an invasion of its neighbor on Feb. 24.

On Thursday, the sides agreed to open humanitarian corridors to allow civilians out of some combat zones, although there have been delays in implementing them.

The next round of talks is due on Monday, according to the Ukrainian side.