“We will continue to support Ukraine on its irreversible path to NATO membership”. It was this statement by NATO members at a recent summit in Washington that sent shockwaves through the foreign policy community and elicited strong reactions from both sides of this foreign policy debate. Those in favour argue that bringing Ukraine into NATO would solidify the West’s long-term commitment to Ukraine’s security, force Putin’s hand to end this war, and deter Russia from invading Ukraine in the future. Critics argue that admitting Ukraine to NATO would be a huge mistake. The US and its allies would be signalling a commitment to fight Russia should they invade Ukraine again which would lead to a showdown between the world’s two leading nuclear powers. And allowing Ukraine to join the alliance only at the conclusion of this war will motivate Putin continue the war indefinitely, the prospect from which Ukraine will never recover.

Arguing in favour of the resolution is John Herbst, a former US ambassador to Ukraine and the Senior Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center.

Arguing against the resolution is Benjamin Friedman, the policy director at Defense Priorities, a foreign policy think tank.

SOURCES:

Al Jazeera, New York Post

The host of this Munk Debates podcast episode is Rudyard Griffiths.

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