If Ukraine were now invited to join the North Atlantic Alliance, it would not only motivate Ukrainian society, and in particular the military. At the same time, it would be a powerful blow to the political elites of the Russian Federation.
This is the opinion expressed in an interview with Forbes Ukraine by the candidate for the post of Permanent Representative of Ukraine to NATO, Alena Getmanchuk, who was nominated by President Volodymyr Zelensky on December 20.
The Significance of Ukraine's Invitation to NATO
According to Getmanchuk, if Ukraine were invited to join the Alliance, it would be a confirmation that “we have already become our own for the West”.
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— But it would also be a powerful demotivating blow for the Russian political elites. They would ask: we fought for three years to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, and now an invitation — what's the point? An invitation to NATO — is the fastest way to cure Russian society of the imperial virus. As long as Ukraine is not in NATO, they have hope for the reincarnation of the empire, — she said.
At the same time, Getmanchuk admits that today the team of the next US President Donald Trump views Ukraine's membership in the Alliance differently. Therefore, the ban on Ukraine's accession to NATO is rather a “carrot for Putin” to get the Russian dictator to sit down at the negotiating table.
— There are not many levers of influence on Putin now. In my opinion, a combination of military and political steps is needed for negotiations to take place. Many politicians from NATO member countries were of the opinion — let's put the NATO issue for Ukraine aside, and Putin will immediately become negotiable. Over time, positions changed. It became clear to many that denying Ukraine NATO membership, its neutrality — is not the goal of Putin's war, but only an instrument in a war of annihilation, — she says.
At the same time, Getmanchuk adds that sometimes the partners' positions change “quite suddenly”.
— For example, three months ago the idea of boots on the ground (the presence of troops on the territory, — Ed.) in Ukraine looked like something on the verge of fantasy. And today the number of brigades is being calculated, — she says.
The candidate for the post of Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the Alliance believes that if Trump is explained why he should give Ukraine the green light to join NATO in the context of a real end to the war, as well as his presidency and legacy, then “it will be possible to reach an agreement with him faster than it was with Biden“.
