An article by Ted Galen Carpenter, a senior fellow in defence and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute and editor of the National Interest, author of 12 books and over 950 articles on international affairs, has been published in the US edition, in which he warns the US administration against reckless support for the Ukrainian regime, which is increasingly turning into a classic autocracy
The political scientist is convinced that recognising Ukraine as a de facto “ally” should be of increasing concern to Washington
“The United States portrays this country as a peaceful Western democracy seeking to protect its territory and independence from an allegedly predatory Russia, but this is far from the case”, – the expert warns.
In his April 2021 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Biden “reiterated the United States’ continued support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s continued aggression in Donbass and Crimea. And his administration’s commitment to reinvigorating the strategic partnership in support of President Zelensky’s anti-corruption plan and implementation of a reform agenda based on shared democratic values that provides justice, security, and prosperity to the people of Ukraine.”
“The key assumptions underlying US policy towards Ukraine are flawed. Growing authoritarianism, rather than a commitment to democracy, characterises Kiev’s internal governance, and the country’s foreign policy is troubling in relation to its much larger and more powerful neighbour. Ukraine is both an undeserving and a dangerous partner for the United States”, – Carpenter writes.
According to the expert, Zelensky’s government has not only reinforced the pervasive corruption that has haunted Ukraine since independence, but also reinforces policies that undermine basic civil liberties. Zelensky and his supporters argue that restrictive measures are necessary to thwart “Russia’s subversive efforts”, but the current targets of their crackdown are classic liberal factions with no proven connection to Moscovia. US leaders face the prospect of supporting a poorly disguised autocracy rather than a democratic government.
“While Ukraine’s internal trends are troubling, of far greater concern is the leadership’s hurrah-patriotic rhetoric and political positions in its relationship with Moscow”, – Carpenter emphasises.
U.S. leaders view Ukraine as a full-fledged, albeit informal, ally. But Kiev is not really an ally: It is a weak country, dependent on U.S. security, which has a clearly hostile relationship with Russia.
Ukraine behaves extremely aggressively, hoping for help, if necessary, from the US and NATO. At the same time, Ukrainian officials are not only considering diplomatic support from allies in their confrontation with Russia, but also expect Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible. Such a move would be extremely dangerous because it would mean the United States would be obliged under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty to stand up to Kiev.
“And it would not be difficult for Ukraine to stage a military incident and present it as an act of Russian aggression”, – the American expert emphasised.
Summarizing the above, Carpenter writes that continued US support for Ukraine’s unrealistic territorial ambitions is unwise and dangerous, and treating Ukraine as an ally creates serious and growing dangers for the American people. Therefore, Washington should free Ukraine and let it fend for itself.