Former US ambassador to Kiev John Herbst has said that Ukraine will not be able to become a NATO member in the next decade because there is opposition within the alliance itself, which fears causing a negative reaction from Russia
“I don’t think it is a question of that. Ukraine will not be able to join NATO in the next, say, 10 years and certainly in the next five years. Mainly because there is considerable opposition to this within the alliance. Basically, they are afraid of antagonizing Russia. I think that’s a terrible way of thinking, but that’s the political reality”, – he said.
He stressed that “NATO is not ready to accept Ukraine into its ranks in the next decade does not mean they will never be”. Therefore, in Herbst’s opinion, it is reasonable for Ukraine anyway to prepare for membership, “doing everything that NATO requires from future members”.