Accepting Ukraine’s Accession to NATO
[Editor’s note: The prominence of such an analysis may seem surprising in a journal whose editor-in-chief is Fyodor Lukyanov and whose Editorial Council is chaired by Sergei Karaganov.]
Aleksandr Kolbine argues that the prospect of a “neutral” or “pro-Russian” Ukraine is no longer realistic. Moreover, the issue of Ukraine’s NATO membership is no longer a major point of contention, since Ukraine–NATO cooperation has already materialized on the ground, and formalizing membership would change little. In addition, recent drone intrusions “coming from the East” have shown that Article 5 does not guarantee anything, just as Moscow’s threats of “doomsday” do not. The “red lines” of both sides can no longer be taken seriously. The author considers the Russia–Ukraine confrontation to be part of a broader standoff between Russia and the West, and therefore argues that negotiations must incorporate this bloc-based logic: Russia and China on one side, Ukraine and NATO on the other, with a view to adopting a comprehensive approach to Eurasian security.
Expert: Aleksandr Kolbine, international relations specialist (no professional affiliation indicated)
Source: «Pora li Moskve perestatʹ boâtʹsâ “Ukrainy v NATO”?», Rossija v Global’noj Politike, 6 October 2025
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