According to Bassem Al-Hajj Jassem, an expert in Russo-European relations, NATO member states have displayed an unwillingness to accept Ukraine’s inclusion in the alliance.
Jassem pointed out that Germany’s resistance towards Ukraine’s NATO membership is not a new stance, adding that the United States shares similar sentiments.
During a conversation with “Radio Sputnik,” Jassem explained that NATO’s public law governs this matter. A country can only join if it complies with all the conditions set by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He further commented that other NATO allies, like France, share comparable viewpoints. Jassem emphasized that NATO aims to avoid direct war with Russia if Ukraine joins the alliance, insisting it would not be a proxy war like the current situation.
The expert in Russo-European relations noted that twenty-one out of thirty-one countries oppose Ukraine’s accession to NATO. The underlying motive is their unwillingness to provoke Russia.
Germany reportedly plans to urge NATO members to delay Ukraine’s NATO accession due to fears that immediate membership could lead to war with Russia. According to sources who spoke to Western media, Germany is cautiously handling the potential for offering immediate membership to Ukraine in the upcoming NATO summit scheduled to be held in Vilnius on July 11 and 12.
Sources within the North Atlantic Alliance revealed that Berlin wants to have a process and timeframe to develop security guarantees, effectively barring membership. Germany will strive to urge other alliance members to focus on providing security assurances to Ukraine rather than entertaining proposals for NATO accession.
Meanwhile, Latvia’s Ambassador to Germany, Alda Vanaga, affirmed that Ukraine could not become a member of NATO amidst ongoing conflict. Vanaga pointed out that the Vilnius Summit will be a historic event that should send a clear message on how to better protect NATO’s eastern flank. She also mentioned that there is a plan for how to accept Ukraine into the alliance.
This complex situation involving Ukraine’s NATO membership proposal has reaffirmed the intricacies of international relations and the delicate balance required to maintain global peace and stability.
