Voice of Ukraine

From: Euromaiden Press — 70.5% of Ukrainians support the idea of “gradual NATO membership,” according to a recent poll by NEC Ukraine. This approach, where Ukraine would be invited to NATO with Article 5 applying only to non-occupied areas, is also supported by Zelenskyy. Could it work?

When former NATO Secretary Anders Fogh Rasmussen first proposed this in 2023, many Ukrainians opposed it – worried it might legitimize Russian occupation and undermine NATO’s credibility. But support has grown as both Ukrainians and diplomats see it as a potential way to prevent losing the war entirely.

There’s actually a historical precedent: West Germany joined NATO in 1955, while East Germany only became part of the alliance in 1990 after reunification. But Ukraine’s situation needs a key difference – the invitation would need to explicitly include occupied regions to show Ukraine isn’t abandoning them.

While some NATO allies worry about Russian escalation, an invitation doesn’t actually come with binding security guarantees. But as analyst Fredrik Wesslau points out, it would send Russia a strong message and give Ukraine more leverage in negotiations.

Critics raise valid concerns though. NATO members likely won’t accept Ukraine’s membership if it plans to militarily retake occupied territories – they’d require a commitment to diplomatic solutions only. As EuropeanPravda’s editor Sydorenko notes, this could be a deal-breaker since future Ukrainian leaders might not stick to such promises.

There’s also a crucial difference from post-WW2 Germany: Russia’s occupation involves systematic human rights violations, torture chambers, and attempts to erase Ukrainian identity. The USSR wasn’t trying to genocide East Germans.

The longer these regions stay under Russian control, the harder their eventual return becomes, while the population suffers under a brutal dictatorship.

What are your thoughts on this gradual NATO accession model for Ukraine? 🇺🇦