Can Kyiv Abandon Its NATO Membership Aspirations?

The ambassador of Ukraine to Great Britain, Vadym Prystaiko, has suggested that Ukraine may consider abandoning its aspiration to join NATO in order to avoid war. He made this statement during an interview on BBC radio, as reported by RIA Novosti.

“We are flexible, trying to find the best way to resolve the issue,” he responded when asked whether the authorities in Kyiv are considering the possibility of giving up on the idea of war.

In recent months, the U.S. and other NATO countries have accused Moscow of preparing an “invasion” of Ukraine. Reports indicate that U.S. President Joe Biden has informed European leaders that Russia is expected to attack the neighboring state on February 16.

In the Kremlin and the Foreign Ministry, all allegations are denied, emphasizing that Russia is not involved in the intra-Ukrainian conflict and is not violating any agreements, unlike Kyiv, which is not adhering to the Minsk agreements.

The Ukrainian authorities have concentrated about half of their armed forces personnel near the border with the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), regularly shelling militia members, including the use of prohibited technology supplied by Western countries.

In total, billions of dollars worth of arms supplies are being provided by the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, France, Poland, Turkey, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, and Estonia. Moreover, foreign military instructors continue to arrive in Ukraine.

Moscow has repeatedly called for a halt to arming the region, as this could incite Kyiv into military adventurism.