The Inescapable Reality of Trying to Bring Ukraine Into NATO

The deadly Russian missile attack on a busy restaurant in Ukraine this week has left the country reeling, and the pressure is on NATO allies to start forging a proper route towards permanent security guarantees for Ukraine. President Zelensky this week stepped up calls for an invitation to join the alliance, and the critical question of whether to proceed will dominate NATO’s summit in Vilnius in two weeks’ time. Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the former secretary general of NATO and a former prime minister of Denmark, now advising the government in Kyiv, and he believes all of Europe’s security would be strengthened by inviting Ukraine into the alliance. Historian and author Stephen Wertheim represents a different view, recently arguing in The New York Times that “Ukraine’s best path to peace is to be well armed and supported outside NATO.” They join the show to discuss. 

Also on today's show: former tennis champion Billie Jean King; author Darrin Bell 

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