Unfortunately for Ukraine itself, which makes a great deal of wanting to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to guarantee itself against future Russian aggression, it now seems all but impossible as war peace talks begin. While Russia is obviously against the idea, the United States is also reluctant under President Trump, just as it was under President Biden.
Even European states, who are generally the most enthusiastic backers of Kyiv and who say they support membership one day have proven very reluctant to agree to it immediately. Several European states have argued that Ukraine isn’t ready to be a member of organisations like NATO or the European Union and that, in any case, it would be foolhardy to induct a new member that is already at war and partially occupied by a foreign power.
But that NATO question has a place in negotiations nevertheless, says broadcaster NBC, which cites unnamed U.S. talks “officials” who state it can be used as a security guarantee for Ukraine by limiting Russia’s appetite for further adventurism. As reported, under the alleged plan Ukraine would not be given NATO membership now, but a mechanism would be created that would instantly award that status on Kyiv if Russia violated the future Donald Trump-negotiated Ukraine peace deal.
NATO membership for Ukraine becomes, then, the carrot and the stick. An incentive for Russia’s Putin to come to the negotiating table to end the slaughter while giving him a small success to sell to the Russian people, while making clear the full weight of NATO stands by to punish in future. Furthermore, the proposed safeguard reassures European allies that Washington does not intend to wash its hands of Ukraine altogether after a peace deal is signed.
The NATO membership condition suggestion is one of a raft of pre-negotiation prepositioning moves by all sides to gain leverage ahead of talks. As realpolitik bites there have been some bruised egos, including European leaders over being left out of initial Russia-U.S. rapprochement talks this week, and none more so than President Zelensky himself after President Trump questioned his democratic legitimacy.
Ukraine was supposed to have elections in 2024 but they were cancelled, with the government citing the state of martial law and the ongoing war for the decision. Others including Britain’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have backed the suspension of democracy, but President Trump has called the position dictatorial and implied that if democracy mattered to Zelensky enough, he could still find a way.
Breitbart News
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