"We are realists. We truly want to join NATO - that's fair. But we know for sure that neither the US nor several other countries see Ukraine in the alliance yet. And Russia, of course, will never see us there," Ukrainian news website Strana quoted Zelensky as saying.

He also reiterated his readiness to hold elections in Ukraine, TASS reported.

According to Zelensky, a vote could be prepared in the next 60 to 90 days. Earlier, head of Ukraine’s Central Election Commission Oleg Didenko said that it would take more than three months to organize elections after a cessation of hostilities.

Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s ambassador-at-large, called Zelensky’s remark about holding an election a bluff and a manipulation of the rules.