Ukraine's entry into NATO is impossible without the normalization of relations between the Alliance and Russia.
Former Deputy Secretary General of NATO Alexander Vershbow stated this in an interview with Ekho Moskvy, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
According to him, no matter how much Ukraine wants to join the bloc, NATO will not accept it yet.
“Ukraine, of course, really wants to join NATO. And we are not closing this door. Negotiations were held in July on this issue. Ukraine is probably ready for membership. But NATO is not quite ready today to finally accept Ukraine as a member. I think that the path here should rather be sought in restoring partnership on normal terms between Russia and NATO,” Vershbow said.
Как PolitNavigator reported, director of the Institute of Russian Abroad Sergei Panteleev said that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO, but will be drawn into the sphere of interests of the North Atlantic Alliance.
And political scientist Grigory Trofimchuk stressedthat Ukraine would already be a member of NATO and the EU if it had pursued a less emotional domestic policy.