Martin Poliačik: NATO Invitation Prospects for Ukraine and Georgia seem different

29.05.2023 0 By Writer.NS

Martin Poliačik

Regarding the expected NATO summit regarding Ukraine and Georgia. One of Lithuania’s goals at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023 is to invite Ukraine to become a member of the Alliance. Back in 2008, at the summit in Bucharest, NATO countries recorded the prospect of membership of Ukraine and Georgia. What do you think are the real prospects for both countries? GLOBSEC Kyiv Deputy Director Martin Poliačik answered Newssky’s questions about the real prospects for both countries on this path.

«The path of countries to NATO membership is a multi-stage process that depends on many factors, including the political will of NATO member countries, the geopolitical situation, and the compliance of candidate countries with the criteria established by the Alliance. Each country is assessed separately, and the prospects for Ukraine and Georgia may differ. Ukraine and Georgia have expressed their desire to become NATO members and have long been implementing reforms and fulfilling certain criteria aimed at approaching the Alliance’s standards.

At the same time, the countries face internal and external challenges, such as Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine and geopolitical disputes that may affect the process of rapprochement with NATO. The course of the country’s membership in NATO also depends on the support of the member countries. Some countries have a cautious attitude towards the expansion of the Alliance, which can affect the prospects of Ukraine and Georgia. The final decision on the membership of Ukraine and Georgia in NATO is accepted by the member countries of the Alliance at the political level. Currently, it is not possible to predict exactly when and whether countries will join NATO. We can observe certain messages from some NATO countries about inviting Ukraine to the Alliance, but such a decision must definitely be unanimous.»

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