Czech President proposes that NATO might consider admitting Ukraine to alliance
Date
8/22/2024 7:20:54 AM
(MENAFN) Czech President Petr Pavel has proposed that NATO might consider admitting Ukraine to the alliance even if it does not fully regain the territories currently occupied by Russia. This statement marks a significant development in discussions about Ukraine's bid to join NATO, which has been a topic of intense debate since Kiev's formal application in September 2022.
Pavel, who previously chaired the NATO Military Committee from 2015 to 2018, suggested that Ukraine’s accession to NATO could be feasible without the complete restoration of its pre-conflict borders. According to Pavel, if Ukraine establishes clear administrative borders, NATO could potentially accept the country based on the territories it controls at the time of admission.
In an interview with the Novinky.cz news website, Pavel drew a parallel with the historical case of West Germany, which joined NATO in 1955 despite the division of Germany and the presence of Soviet-controlled East Germany. He noted that the Western states did not accept the division of Germany at that time, and the eventual reunification occurred after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Bloc.
The suggestion contrasts with the current stance of NATO, which has previously stated that Ukraine’s membership is contingent on resolving its ongoing conflict with Russia. While Ukraine has sought NATO membership as a strategic response to the Russian invasion, the alliance has thus far opted for bilateral security agreements with Kiev, which lack the collective defense guarantee provided by NATO’s Article 5.
Pavel’s remarks introduce a potential new pathway for Ukraine's NATO membership, emphasizing flexibility in the alliance's approach to territorial and geopolitical complexities. This proposal could reshape discussions about Ukraine’s future within NATO and influence how the alliance navigates its relationship with Kiev amid ongoing regional tensions.
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