That's all Zelensky's left with, security policy expert says + video

A series of one-on-one meetings and a firm 'no' to membership - Volodymyr Zelensky appeared somewhat abandoned at the NATO summit in Vilnius. Responding to our question, security policy expert Gyorgy Nogradi told us that President Zelensky must realize that he cannot win this war. He must realize that he is living on Western aid and loans, and that he will never pay back these loans, and I don't even think that he wants to.

Magányos Zelenszkij VILNIUS, LITHUANIA - JULY 11: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife, the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska participate in a family photo before a dinner hosted by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda at the presidential palace during the NATO Summit, on July 11, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The summit is bringing together NATO members and partner countries heads of state from July 11-12 to chart the alliance's future, with Sweden's application for membership and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine as major topics on the summit agenda. (Photo by Yves Herman - Pool/Getty Images) Fotó: Pool

So the fact that Ukraine received no invitation into NATO came as a cold shower for the country's president. On his social media, Zelensky called it absurd that the military alliance had not even outlined a timetable for Ukraine's accession. After a day of failure, Ukraine's president also looked rather lost at the banquet hosted by, and at the residence of, his Lithuanian counterpart Gitanas Nauseda, which US President Joe Biden simply skipped.

On Wednesday morning, the Ukrainian President launched a spectacular smile offensive, meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. This appears to be all that remains for President Zelensky in the Lithuanian capital.

Following a joint meeting with Jens Stoltenberg, the Ukrainian president said that "the recognition that Ukraine does not need a Membership Action Plan on this path is an important achievement. We thank you for this recognition."

During the summit, Volodymyr Zelensky was only given a few minutes of smiley, cordial chit-chat from US President Biden.

After Ukraine's NATO fiasco, Zelensky is focused on keeping his EU accession hopes alive. He took to social media to announce that

I had a good conversation with Charles Michel, President of the European Council. The most important thing we discussed was whether we could start negotiations on EU membership at the end of the year.

Cover photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stands alone before a banquet in honor of the participants of the NATO summit in Vilnius on 11 July, 2023 (Photo: Yves Herman/pool/Getty Images)