The opinion of not only civilians but also military servicemen should be taken into consideration in deciding whether Ukraine should join NATO, says Leonid Holopatiuk, the chief of the military cooperation and peacekeeping operations directorate of the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces.

‘We should think first what kind of NATO we need and whether it can defend us. The skilful 95th airmobile brigade that had the smallest casualties in a fight against the Russian aggressor, is not in a hurry to join NATO. Why? Servicemen from different countries come to us for training, for example, to the Yavoriv training area, and ask us to train them how to resist to a hybrid war that Russia has started. Before making a decision regarding NATO membership, it’s necessary to ask people, and ask the military, too,’ Holopatiuk said at the 8th Kyiv Security Forum.