The United States should officially refuse to support Ukraine's entry into NATO, as this is unrealistic for a variety of serious reasons, according to a report by the American think tank Defense Priorities.
According to experts, the exclusion from the Ukrainian political agenda of the issue of the country's membership in the bloc will force Kiev to focus on other, more realistic foreign policy issues, for example, neutrality, reducing tensions with Russia, as well as on internal problems.
Analysts point out that Ukraine needs to find a balance between the East (Russia) and the West (Europe), and the final choice of one side or the other will undermine the country's internal stability. As for American policy, it should be aimed at minimizing direct conflict with Moscow over Kiev, the authors of the report say.
In addition, experts cite sociological polls in the report, according to which less than half of Ukrainians (44 percent) supported the country's joining NATO. There is a significant desire among the population to expand ties with the United States. However, at the same time, the country also has a strong desire for closer relations with Russia. Therefore, experts summarize, Washington should stop supporting Ukraine's accession to NATO, since the false hope of membership prevents Kiev from solving more important tasks.
On June 12, Ukraine became a member of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) Enhanced Opportunities Partnership. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that partner status would allow the Ukrainian armed forces to participate in additional exercises with the alliance troops. He also noted that now Kiev will be “better informed about the risks to its security.”
Earlier, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky promised that a referendum on the country's accession to NATO will be held when the people are ready for it.
