Ukraine's Zelenskiy urges NATO summit to send 'clear signal' on membership

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Czech President Petr Pavel walk at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer

PRAGUE (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on NATO leaders to take concrete steps towards Ukrainian membership at a summit next week, and he received support during a visit to Prague from the Czech president, who backed Kyiv's bid to join the alliance.

He said his country, engaged in the 17th month of a war against Russian invaders, needed much more than the general statement of more than 10 years' standing that the door to NATO was merely "open".