The reaction of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to corruption in the MSEC (medical and social expert commissions) was urgent and adequate; not inviting [Ukraine] to NATO because of the alleged level of corruption in the country is a search for reasons not to do this, believes head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak.

"We speak openly with our partners: corruption exists in all countries. The main thing is how the government fights today, builds institutions, how it fights this corruption today. If someone tells us, and, by the way, civil society agrees with this, that we cannot receive an invitation to NATO because of the level of corruption in Ukraine - this is a search for reasons not to do this," Yermak said in an interview that was broadcast on the national telethon on Monday.

At the same time, the head of the President’s Office noted that Ukraine is struggling with the problem of corruption, but it “did not appear in 2019.”

"This problem [corruption] is many years old. And today we can talk about the results of the fight. And today they are clear, absolute. I believe that, first of all, we do not have a corrupt president. And he is the leader of this fight," Yermak said.