"NATO Ukraine Membership Support"... Zelensky and European Foreign Ministers Meeting (Summary)

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Ukraine met with foreign ministers from seven European countries to discuss military aid and issues related to joining the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As Russia intensifies its tactical attacks on Ukraine’s key infrastructure amid the harsh winter cold, raising concerns over an energy crisis, Ukraine has sought support from the international community. This move is interpreted as an effort to pressure Russia by leveraging the contentious and ceasefire-related issue of 'EU and NATO membership.'

On the 28th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) reported that foreign ministers from the three Baltic states and four Nordic countries visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, to hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The countries participating in this meeting included the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) as well as the four Nordic countries of Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Iceland.

President Zelensky met with the foreign ministers of these seven countries to discuss humanitarian and military support for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and Ukraine’s efforts to join the EU.

Following the meeting, President Zelensky said in a virtual speech that night, "(This visit is) a very important gesture of support and solidarity," adding, "I requested additional military aid from these countries, including air defense systems necessary to defend against Russian missiles and drones."

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu expressed support for Ukraine on Twitter after the meeting, stating, "Ukraine urgently needs more weapons to defend against Russia," and added, "This is also a responsibility we all share for collective security."

The 27 EU member states agreed in June to grant Ukraine candidate status for EU membership, but there are forecasts that the formal process of becoming a full member could take decades.

NATO member states are scheduled to hold a foreign ministers’ meeting on the 29th and 30th at the Romanian Parliament in Bucharest, the site where Ukraine’s NATO membership was previously blocked, to reaffirm long-term support for Ukraine, which has been fighting Russia for ten months.

According to the Associated Press (AP), to avoid escalation with Russia, NATO-level discussions will focus on non-lethal aid such as fuel, generators, and medical supplies, while plans for military equipment support, including air defense systems, are expected to be announced by individual countries.

At the NATO summit held in Bucharest in April 2008, the United States pushed to admit Ukraine and Georgia as NATO members, but the plan failed amid strong opposition from Russia, which invaded Georgia four months later. The atmosphere at this NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, held amid Russia’s relentless ten-month assault on Ukraine, is reported by AP to be very different from that of 14 years ago.

However, considering that Crimea has been annexed by Russia, it is unlikely that Ukraine’s NATO membership will be realized in the near future, the report added.

The Ukrainian presidential office explained that discussions about the possibility of NATO membership took place alongside EU accession talks during the meeting, but did not disclose specific details of the conversations.

Russia, which has continued concentrated airstrikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, is using the energy issue as leverage to pressure peace negotiations. One of the key ceasefire conditions demanded by Russian President Vladimir Putin is Ukraine’s abandonment of NATO membership, along with recognition of Crimea’s annexation and the independence of the Donbas region.

Due to Russia’s focused attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, power supply has been cut off, and with the arrival of the harsh winter cold, there are concerns that a large-scale humanitarian disaster could occur in Ukraine. President Zelensky has labeled Russia’s plan to corner Ukraine during winter as 'energy terrorism' and has called for international support.