Ukrainian President Zelensky proposed NATO protection as key to ending the conflict in Ukraine, stating he would accept membership on the territory currently held by Kyiv only if offered to the whole country first. This move is highly theoretical, with no formal proposals made yet.
Date: November 30, 2024
Key Points
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President Zelensky was asked whether he would accept Nato membership, but only on the territory that Kyiv currently holds.
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He said he would, but only if Nato membership was offered to the whole of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders, first.
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Ukraine could then attempt to negotiate the return of territory currently under Russian control “in a diplomatic way”, he said.
Quotes
“You can’t give [an] invitation to just one part of a country,” the president said. “Why? Because thus, you would recognise that Ukraine is only that territory of Ukraine, and the other one is Russia.”
Background
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Lots of people were proposing ceasefires, but without a mechanism to prevent Russia from attacking again, ceasefires were simply too dangerous.
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Only NATO membership could offer that kind of guarantee.
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The Ukrainian president has already said that he thinks the war could end in the coming year if Ukraine’s allies show sufficient resolve.
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He would accept Nato membership on the territory currently held by Kyiv, but only if offered to the whole country first.
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Nato would need to offer membership to the whole country, including those parts currently under Russian control.
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The suggestion is highly theoretical, as no-one has yet made such an offer.
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Whether Nato would ever consider such a move is highly doubtful.
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Ukraine has never considered such a proposal because no-one has officially offered it to them.
Context
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Reports suggest that discussion of the so-called West German model (Nato membership offered to a divided country) has been going on in Western circles for more than a year.
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But no formal proposals have yet been made.
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It is also worth noting that so far Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has given absolutely no indication that he’s abandoned his desire to subjugate Ukraine entirely.
Reactions
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The idea that he would be willing to allow any part of Ukraine to join Nato is, for now, unthinkable.
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All the indications so far suggest that any involvement of Nato is a complete non-starter.
Conditions for Nato Membership
Zelensky stated that he would accept Nato membership, but only on the territory that Kyiv currently holds, if Nato membership were offered to the whole of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders, first. He emphasized that Nato would need to offer membership to the whole country, including those parts currently under Russian control.
Implications of Nato Membership
The Ukrainian president believes that Nato membership could provide a guarantee against Russia’s attacks and allow for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. However, he acknowledged that this suggestion is highly theoretical, as no-one has yet made such an offer.
Doubts Over Nato Involvement
Whether Nato would ever consider such a move is highly doubtful. Zelensky noted that Ukraine has never considered such a proposal because no-one has officially offered it to them. It is also worth noting that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has given absolutely no indication that he’s abandoned his desire to subjugate Ukraine entirely.
Current Situation
The idea of Nato involvement in the conflict is, for now, unthinkable. All indications suggest that any involvement of Nato is a complete non-starter. The Ukrainian president has already said that he thinks the war could end in the coming year if Ukraine’s allies show sufficient resolve.
