There is less and less time left before the NATO summit in Vilnius, but the question of Ukraine’s membership remains unresolved. At the beginning of June, President Zelenskyy stated that attending the summit would be pointless if he does not receive clear signals about the possibility of Ukraine joining the alliance. Despite the absence of a definitive decision, politicians are already preparing alternative options for security guarantees for Kyiv, which cannot be considered a positive sign.
Main problem
It’s common for the media to portray Hungary as the primary opponent to Ukraine’s membership in NATO. However, the actual reason lies in the internal disagreements within the alliance. A lot of members can’t reach a joint solution, and alternative proposals offered by various parties don’t satisfy everyone.
Questions to resolve
However, it is clear to everyone that the issue of Ukraine’s security guarantees will one way or another become the main issue in Vilnius. The USA is actively preparing a support plan that will be analogous to membership in NATO. This is the so-called “Israeli model”. The country is not a member of NATO but receives stable NATO aid.
Biden’s office approached the issue seriously. This can be understood from the fact that instead of promises, the US President’s administration immediately indicated the terms of support will not be as enduring as those for Israel.
Are there any advantages?
This turn of events appears to be a clear loss. However, the signing of such a document is the main message to the Russian Federation that the West intends to help Ukraine for a long time, for years. Such a move would deprive Russian propagandists of the opportunity to spread the narrative that soon Europe and the United States of America will “get tired” of the Ukrainian issue and stop supporting Kyiv.
The Ukrainian authorities are not receptive to the idea, and the fact that it remains steadfast and decisive in its approach is quite remarkable in the history of recent decades. With less than five weeks until the “X” moment, it remains to be seen whether determination and persistence or caution and moderation will prevail.
