Scholz names necessary conditions for Ukraine’s accession to NATO

Ukraine’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance is possible after the war with Russia ends.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is possible after the prerequisite – resolution of all territorial disputes – is met.

He said this on Sunday, 2 July, in an interview with the ARD TV channel.

At the same time, the German Chancellor noted that Germany was one of the key countries which should work out all the security guarantees for Ukraine.

“Despite these clauses, we can talk about Ukraine’s accession to NATO only after all territorial disputes have ended. This is a mandatory condition”.

Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor

Ukraine expects a positive decision at NATO summit

Chief Diplomatic Adviser of Ukraine’s President Ihor Zhovkva said that Kyiv expects a positive decision at the NATO summit in Vilnius on 11-12 July regarding Ukraine’s application for NATO membership, which it submitted on September 30, 2022.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to attend the NATO summit in Vilnius on 11-12 July, however, on condition that Ukraine gets a satisfactory outcome.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would not make territorial concessions to an aggressor state even if this allowed joining NATO.

Possible outcomes of NATO’s Vilnius Summit

If Ukraine is not accepted into NATO at the Vilnius Summit, it will have serious negative consequences for the long-term security architecture on the European continent.

It would also mean that the European continent would continue to face serious short- and long-term security risks.

In 2008, the denial of the MAP, i.e. the non-invitation of Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO, at the Bucharest Summit resulted in Russia’s aggressive war against Georgia and later in the occupation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine, which began in 2014 and expanded to full-scale war in 2022.

Repeating the same strategic mistakes during the Vilnius summit will lead to the same tragic consequences, i.e. further aggression of Putin and the Kremlin regime.

Reasons why Ukraine should join NATO

NATO was created in 1949 to counter the expansion of the Soviet Union in Europe collectively.

By becoming a NATO member, Ukraine would come under the protective umbrella of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which states that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all allies.

Ukraine’s membership is not only an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen NATO’s military capabilities. This decision will also unite the West to guarantee sustainable peace on the European continent. Ukraine has proved that its military capabilities exceed the criteria for membership.

Ukraine’s membership in NATO would address Europe’s most significant security challenge, the authoritarian Russian regime. NATO’s decision may push some of the Kremlin’s political and military elite to seek ways to end Russia’s catastrophic, absurd and unjustified war in Ukraine.

To sum up, inviting Ukraine to join NATO at the Vilnius Summit would grand Ukraine security guarantees and create prospects for long-term sustainable peace and security in Europe.