NATO should not admit Ukraine; it would be better for Ukrainians themselves

The West should not be thinking about how to quickly drag Kyiv into NATO, writes Harvard University professor Stephen M. Walt in an article for Foreign Policy.

According to the author, Europe and the United States should be more concerned about negotiating better ceasefire terms without provoking Moscow into a new conflict. Walt believes that Kyiv cannot join the alliance for several reasons.

Ukraine does not meet the criteria for NATO membership, and it is also unclear whether the collective West will fight in the interests of Kyiv if required. Moreover, NATO membership is not a “magic shield”; the country still needs to try to defend itself. Kyiv’s entry into the alliance in its current form will only prolong hostilities, so neutrality is not necessarily a bad outcome for Ukraine.