As the NATO Summit in Washington draws near, a significant theme has emerged: the urgency of accelerating support for Ukraine and discussing its potential membership in the alliance. This sentiment has been echoed by transatlantic leaders and experts, who argue that NATO must adapt to the evolving geopolitical landscape marked by Russia’s ongoing aggression.
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, speaking at an Atlantic Council event, stressed the need for the West to “wake up” to the realities of the war in Ukraine. He highlighted that “the damage done by our hesitancy can be counted in Ukrainian lives,” urging NATO to expedite military support. Rasmussen called for inviting Ukraine to NATO accession talks during the July summit and setting a target date for full membership by July 2028. “Opening accession talks does not mean that Ukraine will join NATO overnight, but it sends a critical message to Putin that Ukraine’s NATO membership is inevitable,” Rasmussen stated.
Andriy Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, emphasized the strategic importance of Ukraine’s inclusion in NATO, likening it to a missing piece in the transatlantic security puzzle. “If Ukraine stands, Europe stands. If Ukraine falls, the Kremlin will choose its next victim,” Yermak warned, advocating that an invitation to NATO would be both a cost-effective and symbolic acknowledgment of Ukraine’s bravery.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also underscored the necessity of moving at “the speed of relevance, not the speed of bureaucracy” to support Ukraine. He argued for equipping Ukraine with the tools needed to win, rather than just enough to avoid losing, calling for sustained investments in hard power and industrial capacity. “The task before us is to reflect the magnitude of global challenges in our military requirements, force planning constructs, and base budgets—year after year after year,” McConnell noted.
In parallel, former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss reiterated her support for Ukraine’s swift NATO membership, stressing that it would enable the Alliance to collectively defend against future threats from authoritarian regimes. She urged NATO countries to increase their defense spending, highlighting that “the West, and particularly Europe, hasn’t spent enough on defense.”
Yermak and Rasmussen also touched upon the need for NATO to adopt more assertive measures, such as lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of provided weapons and establishing a humanitarian air-defense shield over western Ukraine. Yermak specifically pointed out the necessity of air defenses from Europe.
These discussions align with the recent report by the International Task Force on Security and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, which recommends that NATO invite Ukraine to begin accession talks with a clear timeframe for membership by 2028. The report argues that integrating Ukraine into NATO is essential for achieving a favorable conclusion to the war and demonstrating to Russia that it will gain nothing from its continued aggression.
Relevant articles:
– NATO must accelerate support and secure membership for Ukraine at its Washington summit, transatlantic leaders urge , Atlantic Council, 05/23/2024
– Relations with the European Union, NATO HQ, 05/22/2024
– Republican Leader, Remark | Remarks | THE NEWSROOM | Republican Leader, 05/21/2024
– Andriy Yermak: Inviting Ukraine to NATO now would be a vital step to strengthen Europe’s security, Odessa Journal, 05/22/2024
– Bilateral Security Agreements as Part of Ukraine’s NATO Accession (Part Two), The Jamestown Foundation, 05/20/2024
Glad you enjoyed above story, be sure to follow TrendyDigests on Microsoft Start.