Donald Trump, the president-elect of the United States, recently expressed the opinion that Ukraine's desire to join NATO became the catalyst for the war with Russia. However, experts, in particular the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak, deny this thesis, stressing that the real reasons for Russia's aggression are much deeper and have nothing to do with the Alliance.
During an interview with the FREEDOM TV channel, Mykhailo Podolyak noted that Russia's war against Ukraine is not a NATO issue, but part of the Kremlin's long-term strategy aimed at restoring control over the post-Soviet space.
"Russia was just preparing for war. For her, existence outside of war is impossible. It always returns to expansionism, regardless of whether NATO is on the borders," said Podolyak.
An example is the accession of Finland to NATO in 2023, which expanded the Alliance's border with Russia by 1,400 km. However, the Kremlin does not attack the bloc's member countries, instead focusing its efforts on Ukraine, which has a neutral status.
Podolyak also emphasized that Russian aggression began long before 2022 and took various forms: from information warfare to gas warfare. For example, in 2003, Russia tried to seize the island of Tuzla, which shows its long-standing ambitions in the region.
"Russia wants to regain control over the post-Soviet space. For her, Ukraine is a key goal that the Kremlin seeks to turn into a puppet state," Podolyak added.
Arguments about the threat from NATO, according to the adviser, are only an element of Russian propaganda. Ukraine's entry into the Alliance has been blocked since 2008 due to the position of the USA and Germany. However, this did not prevent the Kremlin from using NATO as a justification for its aggression.
Podoliak warns that Russia will continue to put pressure on the post-Soviet countries, using various forms of violence. The Kremlin has already established control over Belarus and is conducting destabilizing actions in Moldova and Georgia.
"The only possibility to end the concept of violence in Russian foreign policy is the defeat of the Russian Federation in the current war," Podolyak stressed.
On January 7, 2025, Donald Trump declared that a war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine would be impossible under his presidency. In his speech, he again voiced the idea that the reason for the aggression lies in Ukraine's desire to join NATO.
However, experience and facts show that the Kremlin has long been using propaganda to justify its actions. In this case, NATO is just another myth for manipulation.
