There is no agreement within NATO on Ukraine’s early accession to the Alliance. The US and Germany argue that accession should not be determined by political considerations.
NATO members have still not reached an agreement on whether the reforms set out in the updated Annual National Program meet the conditions for Ukraine to join NATO or merely bring Kiev closer to the Alliance, they said several NATO diplomats, quoted by Euractiv.
Division in the Alliance
In fact, the same divisions that emerged at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July remain. Germany and the United States insist that Ukraine’s accession process is based on the implementation of specific conditions, and not on political reasons. Washington and Berlin want the program to set the stage for reforms, and only when that is met can a discussion about membership begin.
Other NATO members say the program does not list conditions but is a “guide” or “tool” to monitor Ukraine’s progress.
– Ultimately it is a political decision – said an Alliance diplomat, citing, for example, delays in the ratification of the Swedish membership proposal by Turkey and Hungary due to the interests of these countries. – Even if the war with Russia were to end tomorrow and Ukraine met all the conditions of the reform plan, NATO members would still have to agree to invite Ukraine, which could be a difficult process – he added.
On Wednesday, November 29, NATO and Ukraine are expected to sign a list of reforms that Kiev must implement in order to join NATO in the future.
Euractiv says the move should push Kiev to reform its armed forces and other security sectors and provide a checklist for NATO members to follow. The document will not be made public.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
