Why the NATO Summit Was Good for Ukraine posted on Jul 14 2023 07:05:14 UTC via time.com
Why the NATO Summit Was Good for Ukraine posted on Jul 14 2023 07:05:14 UTC via time.com President Volodymyr Zelensky had high hopes for the NATO summit in Vilnius and a clear message on Ukraine’s membership. The results fell short, but Ukraine today is closer to membership, which Alliance members seem to view as all but inevitable. Ukrainians make a strong case for joining NATO. They have met most Alliance criteria for aspiring members and have demonstrated with their blood that Ukraine can contribute to Euro-Atlantic security. Ukrainians regard their struggle against Russia not just as a fight for national survival, but also as a fight on behalf of Europe. They are not wrong. Ukraine has destroyed or captured a substantial part of Russia’s conventional military power that could threaten NATO, including 60 percent of Russia’s modern main battle tanks. Vladimir Putin has portrayed the war as a bid to recover “ historical [Russian] lands .” Well, check a map of the Russian Empi