WARSAW, Poland -- Although cracks in the Western alliance emerged publicly before the July 8-9 NATO Summit, the 28 allies in the end issued a unanimous, unequivocal and strongly worded condemnation for Russia to end its war against Ukraine and demand that it return Crimea.
The strong sentiments were reflected in the statement after a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, the lengthy NATO Summit communique and in the closing July 9 press conference between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
“We have full support demonstrated by all NATO member states, including Germany and France, for the Ukrainian position for sanctions and the motivation by sanctions of the Russian Federation to implement all conditions under the Minsk agreement,” Poroshenko said in response to a question about his reaction to French President Francois Hollande’s recent comments that Russia should not be treated as an adversary and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s criticism of NATO military exercises near Russia as “saber-rattling.”
Stoltenberg underscored the NATO stance, pledging “strong political and practical support” for Ukraine’s ambitions to improve its democracy and defense capabilities enough to be eventually considered for NATO membership if it so chose.
“An independent, sovereign and stable Ukraine, firmly committed to democracy and rule of law, is key to Euroatlantic security,” Stoltenberg said. “NATO is committed to helping Ukraine achieve that goal and…stands in solidarity with Ukraine.”
“We reaffirmed NATO’s enduring support for Ukraine and our cooperation with Kyiv and we welcome the Ukrainian government’s stand for reform,” Stoltenberg said in the joint press conference. “Allies are united in their support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We do not and we will not recognize Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea. We condemn Russia’s deliberate destabliization of eastern Ukraine, where cease-fire violations occur on a daily basis, often with equipment banned under the Minsk agreement and with casualties every day.”
Stoltenberg continued: “We call on Moscow to end its military, political and financial support for separatists. All must parties fully implement the Minsk agreement and must work towards a diplomatic, negotiated solution. Despite the challenges of the ongoing conflict, Ukraine has commited to major reforms and efforts to counter corruption. Implementing these reforms is essential. NATO is helping with advice and targeted support to make Ukraine’s defense and security institutions more effective, efficient and accountable.”
It’s not clear, however, what, if any, new sanctions that NATO members would support against Russia or how allies planned to step up the pressure on Moscow to comply with the West’s demands regarding Ukraine.
It does appear clear, however, from the closing press conferences and official statements that NATO’s financial commitment to Ukraine will not increase beyond the 5 million euros set aside in trust funds to help Ukraine improve its defense capabilities in various areas, including cyber defense and communications.
NATO agreed to offer Ukraine something called a “comprehensive action plan” that Poroshenko said will put the nation on the path of becoming an “enhanced opportunity partner” down the road. The action plan will help Ukraine in 40 areas, the president said, and include appointment of a special coordinator in Kyiv to help Ukraine on the path to meeting NATO standards by 2020.
That plan, however, underscores the fact that Ukraine has a lot of work to do before it will ever be considered for NATO membership, something that Stoltenberg confirmed as well.
“President Poroshenko make it clear, in our meeting, that the question of membership is not currently on the agenda,” Stoltenberg replied in response to a question at the press conference.”The focus is now how Ukraine can meet NATO standards, implement reform and increase inter-operability between Ukrainian forces and NATO forces. The focus of the comprehensive action program is how we can help Ukraine moving forward when it comes to modernizing, reforming and meeting NATO standards.
“NATO will continue to provide strong political and practice support for Ukraine, enabling them to move forward,” Stoltenberg said. “Then we have to address the question of membership at a later stage.”
Stoltenberg said that “every nation has the right to decide its own path, including, of course, Ukraine” whether to join NATO.
Poroshenko said that Ukraine is working hard and fast to meet NATO standards and suggested that the nation will be knocking on NATO’s door for membership in the not-too-distant future.
“We have significantly increased the number of Ukrainians who support NATO membership,” Poroshenko said, from 13 percent before Russia’s war against Ukraine to “more than 53 percent” today. “That is a real result of changes in society,” he said.
Poroshenko said Ukraine’s newly adopted strategic defense plan is “a roadmap for the reform of the defense and security sector in Ukraine,” and that his counterparts gave him “positive assessments of many things which Ukraine has done under the challenging circumstances of Russia’s hybrid war, of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia’s aggression in the east of my country.”
He repeated his call – backed by NATO – for Russia to live up to the Minsk 2015 agreements by implementing a cease-fire, withdrawing troops and equipment from eastern Ukraine and allowing international monitors unimpeded access to monitor the peace. He also said that Russia should start to end its occupation of Crimea.
Poroshenko also called for the release of 40 Ukrainians held as prisoners in Russia and another 120 held captive in the Kremlin-controlled areas of eastern Donbas. Nadiya Savchenko, recently released from Russia after two years in prison, accompanied Poroshenko as part of his delegation to the NATO Summit as did Deputy Prime Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze who participated in an experts forum on the sidelines of the official meetings.
