Michael Roth, Chairman of the Bundestag Foreign Policy Committee thinksThat Ukraine should be “partially” admitted to NATO – he expressed such an opinion in an interview with a German newspaper Die ZeitPublished on Wednesday, July 5th.
“Instead of ultimatums or any threat to Russia, I advocate a slightly different interpretation of the basis of the agreement for Ukraine’s inclusion in NATO. I wouldn’t put a condition to accept an ideal world [на территории страны].
For example, it should be said that the regions of Ukraine under the reliable control of the democratic Kiev authorities should be immediately assigned to NATO territory.
For them, in this case, the fifth article will apply. [о коллективной обороне]. “The obligation to provide assistance would not extend to other parts of Ukraine,” he said.
According to him, the final peaceful solution should be determined. conflict “It’s in Ukraine’s hands.” “This proposal will be valid even in the Kremlin,” Roth believes.
“Decisive year for Ukraine”
He added that NATO should send “a clear signal in its direction” to Kiev. [присоединения к альянсу]”. Otherwise, according to his forecasts, Ukraine’s entry into the military bloc “will have to be postponed until the second arrives.”
“According to the NATO charter, conflicting countries have no chance to join the alliance. But we now know that the gray zone is a life-threatening place and Ukraine needs to get out of it as soon as possible.
If there is no consensus on inviting Ukraine, then heads of state should at least present a specific roadmap for when and how Ukraine can become a NATO member.
Unfortunately, what I’ve heard so far is more like diplomatic verbal acrobatics. This is an enormous strategic problem, not only for Ukraine, but for all European security.
In the foreseeable future we will have to defend Europe from Russia, we must focus even more on deterrence and defense. That’s why I unequivocally support NATO’s Ukraine perspective. But I am not suggesting that Russian imperialism and colonialism can be ended with the push of a button. To say that we will give Russia a year, and then NATO will become a “war party,” such automatism, I think, would be quite irresponsible.
Especially after failure rebel We do not know what other means Putin will use to avoid defeat – Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Wagner PMC, ”says Roth.
He also noted that the current year is “decisive for Ukraine”. “It’s really about their survival as a sovereign country. The best way to help Ukraine in this situation is to really use all the resources we have to equip the country in the best possible way for the struggle for freedom: military, financial and political aid.
First of all, we need some sort of Marshall Plan to quickly rebuild a devastated Ukraine because it will also strengthen its defence.
Second, we must integrate them into Europe’s most important alliance, the EU. Third, we must offer contractual support guarantees that will ensure the delivery of the most advanced Western weapons systems for years to come. By doing so, we undermine Putin’s calculation that Western aid will eventually dry up. And of course, despite all this, there must be a commitment to NATO membership from now on. [конфликта]”, – finished the chairman of the committee in the German parliament.
In response, the White House said Wednesday that for Ukraine to be accepted into the alliance, it must reform and meet the same NATO standards as other countries.
“And the president [США Джо Байден] repeatedly said: Ukraine will have to reform to meet the same standards as anyone [другие] NATO countries before joining [к альянсу]. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that in her opinion this can be achieved, Ukraine can achieve it.
He added that the United States remains committed to NATO’s open-door policy. TASS.
summit in Vilnius
The next NATO summit is scheduled for 11-12 July and will be held in Vilnius next week. In mid-April, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba aforementionedThat Kiev will not be satisfied with any other decision of the upcoming summit, except the invitation to join the alliance.
“If the Allies decide in Vilnius that they will approve the 130th time open door policy on NATO membership, then for Ukraine this would be an unacceptable outcome of the Vilnius summit.
If in Vilnius they try to offer us some positive things to deepen cooperation with NATO, but at the same time do not take a single step towards Ukraine’s NATO membership, this is unacceptable to us. In Vilnius, NATO must take a step towards membership and decide what will happen in terms of Ukraine’s security guarantees between “now” and the moment Ukraine becomes a NATO member,” he said.
Recall that in 2008 in Bucharest the NATO summit was held in which the possibilities of Ukraine and Georgia joining the alliance were considered, and from that moment Kiev and Tbilisi began negotiations with Brussels for the submission of a NATO Membership Action Plan.
In December 2014, the Verkhovna Rada amended two laws, abandoning Ukraine’s non-bloc status.
In February 2019, the Ukrainian parliament passed constitutional amendments that set the country’s course in the EU and NATO. Ukraine has become the sixth country to receive NATO Advanced Opportunities Partner status.
In September 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Kiev has applied to join NATO on an accelerated basis.