US President Joe Biden must make serious efforts to bring Ukraine into NATO as soon as possible. This is the only way to save Ukraine and avoid a third world war, said Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute and former deputy assistant secretary of defense in an opinion for The Hill.
At the 2024 Washington Summit, NATO affirmed Ukraine’s future in the Alliance. However, the timing remains uncertain, with former Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stating it’s “not a question of if, but when”. The war with Russia remains the primary obstacle to Ukraine’s immediate accession, as NATO seeks to avoid direct war with Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to push for a clear timeline and concrete security guarantees, emphasizing that NATO membership is crucial for ending the war and preventing future Russian aggression.
“Washington must now immediately make its own move. President Biden should work now with our NATO allies to urge the alliance to issue a swift invitation to NATO membership, one that can be ratified by the majority of the members rapidly,” said Evelyn Farkas.
The expert acknowledged that including Ukraine in NATO “will entail some risk that Putin will test our resolve.”
That’s why Farkas suggested leveraging the bilateral security guarantees that most NATO countries already signed with Ukraine this year to deploy NATO forces in Ukraine on a diplomatic basis, deterring Russia from further actions.
The expert noted that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin aims to eliminate NATO as a threat to his goal of recreating the Russian Empire. Only strong America alongside its allies can stop him from dismantling the international order, she believes.
“It has been increasingly apparent to European allies — even in the West — that they could well come under attack by Russia under certain scenarios, that are not far-fetched.
Bringing Ukraine quickly into NATO will create territorial depth for NATO allies and we gain a member that has the most experience fighting Russians — and in keeping them off balance,” Farkas wrote.
Previously, the Biden administration hinted that it does not plan to bring Ukraine into NATO, as per UNIAN.
White House spokesperson John Kirby stated that the US “will work with Ukraine” on its path toward possible NATO membership, but the “first priority is to ensure it can win the war.”
Related:
- The Telegraph: Trump eyes 1,000-km buffer zone in Ukraine, guarded by EU and British forces
- Reuters: Trump team disavows advisor’s stance on Ukraine territorial concessions for peace
- Biden: NATO allies split over Ukraine’s long-range strikes inside Russia
- ISW: West may underestimate benefits of long-range strikes for Ukraine
