NATO cannot yield because its charter requires it to consider applicants for membership. NATO is unified around that principle. However, unanimity is also required to admit a new member. If both sides wanted to see progress in a negotiation, this issue could easily be finessed. But it would be unwise to unilaterally contradict a principle on which all NATO nations agree. There is a nuance there, and clever negotiators can find their way around roadblocks without violating principle. That is preferable to war.Brian Atwood--On Sat, Jan 22, 2022 at 4:43 PM SCOTT MCCONNELL via Salon <salon@listserve.com> wrote:Excellent piece Doug.. I’m always puzzled by the way most experts, including our negotiators, speak of declining or deferring Ukraine’s NATO membership as obviously off the table. Sez who? I can see why Ukraine’s independence might be, but what is its quest for NATO membership is treated as sacrosanct. “On that, Nato cannot yield” Brian Atwood writes, without further elaboration, as if this is totally obvious. Nato expansion was not much debated in the 90’’s but it was somewhat and serious people (George Kennan, Daniel Moynihan) thought it ridiculous. Given the likely downside of pushing Ukraine’s right to join Nato (sanctions which harm everyone’s economy, possibly war, which could spiral out of control but even if not, pushing a renewed Sino-Soviet alliance) why can’t Ukraine’s NATO membership be discussed?--On Jan 22, 2022, at 4:07 PM, Chessset via Salon <salon@listserve.com> wrote:--To Chas: Of possible interest as Russia-Ukraine looks ever uglier
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/01/how-joe-biden-can-avoid-a-war-with-russia-over-ukraine/
Salon mailing list
Salon@listserve.com
https://mlm2.listserve.net/mailman/listinfo/salon
Salon mailing list
Salon@listserve.com
https://mlm2.listserve.net/mailman/listinfo/salon
Salon mailing list
Salon@listserve.com
https://mlm2.listserve.net/mailman/listinfo/salon