Status: 03/15/2022 5:01 p.m
Ukrainian President Zelenksky has expressed disillusionment with his country’s prospects of becoming a member of NATO. You have to realize that you are not allowed to join. The alliance is considering permanently strengthening its eastern flank.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has admitted that his country’s prospects of joining NATO are unlikely. “It is clear that Ukraine is not a member of NATO, we understand that,” Zelenskyy said during an online appearance to representatives of the northern European military-cooperative Joint Expeditionary Force.
“For years we have heard about open doors, but now we have also heard that we are not allowed to enter there and we have to accept that,” Zelenskyj added. “I am glad that our people are beginning to understand this, to count on themselves and on our partners to help us.”
Gradual farewell to the constitutional goal
Zelenskyy said in an interview a week ago that he had “softened his stance on this issue some time ago” because NATO was apparently not ready “to accept Ukraine.”
Russia, which has been at war with Ukraine for almost three weeks, is demanding a “neutral” status for the neighboring country – that is, Ukraine renouncing NATO membership. Moscow says it feels threatened by the alliance’s eastward expansion. Ukraine has so far written its goal of becoming a member of NATO in its constitution.
NATO on alert
According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, several hundred thousand soldiers from the alliance states have now been put on increased alert. As the Norwegian announced in Brussels, there are around 100,000 US soldiers in Europe and around 40,000 soldiers under direct NATO command. The troops would be supported by air and sea forces as well as air defenses.
Permanent reinforcements in the East?
In addition, the alliance is considering a permanent reinforcement of the eastern flank, according to Stoltenberg. At a defense ministers’ meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, a discussion on security in all areas should begin. This could include stationing substantially more forces in the eastern part of the alliance and having more equipment there.
In addition, significantly more air and naval operations, a strengthening of air and missile defense and additional and larger exercises will be considered. “I expect that we will task NATO’s military commanders with developing options for our Madrid summit in June,” Stoltenberg said.
Shortly after it began, the heads of state and government of the member states described Russia’s attack on Ukraine as the “most serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security in decades”.