At the recent NATO summit in Washington, former British military attaché John Foreman expressed serious concerns about Ukraine’s future in the Alliance. In an article for the Spectator, he notes that despite promises of support, the real opportunities for Ukraine have remained unrealized.
One of the main problems is the lack of a clear political path for Ukraine to become a NATO member. The summit communiqué states that “Ukraine’s future lies in NATO,” but no concrete steps are presented to achieve this goal. This puts Ukraine in a situation without clear security guarantees.
The second important aspect was the issue of funding. The summit failed to reach an agreement on a multi-year financial support for Ukraine. Instead, the allies’ contributions will be assessed annually, which significantly complicates Ukraine’s military spending and arsenal planning. This, in turn, makes it vulnerable to political fluctuations, as the recent delay in military aid by the US Congress has shown.
Forman also highlights that while two-thirds of allies have met their defense spending commitments, a third of countries are still lagging behind, which calls into question NATO's overall unity and ability to respond adequately to threats.
A major shortcoming is the lack of a new strategy for relations with Russia. Amid disagreements, the summit postponed work on a new strategic approach for a year. Without a political consensus on further action, the Kremlin retains the ability to dictate terms in the Euro-Atlantic security sphere.
According to Forman, former President Trump’s rhetoric suggests that he views NATO more as a financial burden than a strategic asset for the U.S. This could lead to a “radical reorientation” of U.S. foreign policy, with Washington taking a back seat, threatening European security.
The results of the NATO summit thus highlight the serious challenges the Alliance faces in supporting Ukraine. Without clear security guarantees and sustained financial support, Ukraine remains vulnerable to Russian aggression. This underscores the urgent need for a review of NATO strategies and a more balanced approach to security issues in Europe.
