Expert: Way to NATO is closed for Ukraine

The disappointment at the idea of joining NATO is growing among the Ukrainian population, but this is not the main problem that closes the way to the alliance for the former Soviet republic, believes political analyst Alexey Yakubin.

At a news conference in Kiev, he noted that Ukraine does not meet several criteria necessary to join the organization.

“For the moment, our country cannot fulfil several pre-conditions, which closes its way to NATO. First, we do not have a consensus on the issue of NATO among the public,” he said adding that statements of the authorities that there some polls on it are nothing but a myth.

“I am not quite sure that even 40% [support the idea of joining NATO]. Within recent years, the support of joining NATO has decreased,” he said adding that the same is true about support of Euro-integration. However, there are more Ukrainians who support integration into the EU than joining NATO.

“Second, we have a territorial problem. NATO does not give access to countries that have territorial disputes. We have not only the Crimean issue, but the Donbass issue as well,” Yakubin said reminding that there is such state in Europe – Cyprus.

“Cyprus is a member to the European Union, it was accepted even with its territorial dispute, but it was not accepted to NATO because of the dispute,” the expert noted stressing that the territorial issue is clearly closing the way to NATO.

The expert focused on the notion that Ukrainian politicians can say anything they like, but the alliance will not blink at the situation, because countries with territorial claims can have serious problems in future with neighboring states and NATO would have to be involved in the issue.

Besides, Yakubin paid special attention to the artificial crisis provoked by the Ukrainian authorities: he meant the situation with Hungary that was actively blocking all Ukraine-NATO meetings,

“Until the problem is solved, I think that attempts of the authorities to state insincerely that NATO is waiting for us (or that the alliance is even going to propose a partnership plan) are myths,” he concluded.