Ukraine has a chance to join NATO if the Western allies show courage and make a strategic decision that will give Ukraine reliable protection from Russia and ensure peace in Eastern Europe. In the conditions of the war, which has been going on for more than a year, the question of the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO is particularly relevant. Politico, Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, outlines three main steps that could be key to this process.
1. Official commitment not to use force to return occupied territories
Ukraine could borrow the experience of West Germany, which in 1954, before joining NATO, announced a peaceful way to resolve territorial disputes. This was an important step in order to avoid direct confrontation with neighboring states and to ensure its security within NATO.
2. Inclusion of territory not under Russian control into NATO
Coffey points out that NATO can include only that part of Ukraine that is not under Russian occupation. A similar practice has already been used, in particular, with the islands of France and the Falklands, which do not fall under the full geographical responsibility of the Alliance. Thus, territories remaining under Russian control will not fall under the protection of Article 5 of NATO.
3. Amendment of Article 6 of the North Atlantic Treaty
Changing this article would allow temporarily excluding the occupied territories of Ukraine from collective defense. There were precedents for such changes in the history of NATO, in particular for Greece, Turkey and France. This will give Ukraine the opportunity to be part of the Alliance without the need to resolve all territorial disputes before joining.
Despite territorial disputes, NATO has already accepted countries with unresolved conflicts, such as Estonia and Croatia. However, the strategic decision regarding Ukraine's accession to the Alliance will depend on the readiness of the allies to change their approaches to the protection of the territory and the abolition of restrictions for countries with partial territory under the control of the enemy. If the allies dare to take these steps, Ukraine can become a full member of NATO, ensuring its security in the face of aggression from Russia.
