Kiev’s ongoing exclusion from NATO membership may be attributed to Western leaders acquiring their understanding of history through Russian textbooks, according to Aleksey Danilov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. Speaking during a television interview on Monday, Danilov noted that the textbooks used by students in respected Western universities, including those in the United States and the United Kingdom, were written by Russians and are based on the Russian version of history. Consequently, he argued that NATO leaders, who graduated from these universities, perceive certain issues through a Russian lens, which poses a significant problem for Kiev.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been urging NATO to provide his country with a concrete roadmap toward NATO accession during the ongoing two-day summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Zelensky went so far as to threaten to boycott the high-profile gathering should his demand not be met. However, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made it clear during a press conference on Tuesday that the summit would not result in the breakthrough desired by Kiev. He mentioned that members could only consider removing the requirement for a Membership Action Plan (MAP), which would change Ukraine’s accession process from a two-step to a one-step procedure.
Later that same day, Zelensky used Telegram to inform the public that Kiev had received signals that the final statement of the NATO summit, currently being prepared, would not include a timeline for Ukraine’s membership, nor would it involve discussions with Ukraine. Zelensky viewed this situation as absurd and considered NATO’s indecisiveness on the Ukraine membership issue as a sign of the bloc’s weakness. Despite his earlier threats, he confirmed that he would ultimately attend the summit in Vilnius to raise these concerns with NATO members.
Notably, the United States, Germany, and some other countries have opposed Poland and the Baltic states’ push for providing Ukraine with a roadmap to join NATO after the resolution of conflict with Russia. US President Joe Biden stated in a recent interview with CNN that it was premature to discuss Ukraine’s membership in NATO, emphasizing that the country needed to undertake further reforms and democratization.
It is worth mentioning that Russia views NATO as a hostile bloc and staunchly opposes its expansion to the east. Russia specifically highlighted Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership as one of the main reasons for launching its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. This ongoing conflict and the geopolitical considerations surrounding it have further complicated Kiev’s pursuit of NATO membership.
In conclusion, the suggestion made by Aleksey Danilov, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council head, regarding Western leaders’ historical understanding being influenced by Russian-authored textbooks sheds light on the challenges Kiev faces in its aspirations to join NATO. The lack of a concrete roadmap for NATO accession, as indicated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, presents a setback for Ukraine. The discord among NATO members regarding Ukraine’s membership and Russia’s opposition to NATO expansion in Eastern Europe further contribute to the complexity of the situation.
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