Day Two of
the NATO Summit in Vilnius: interview on WION television (India)
It was quite stunning to watch the mainstream news coverage of today’s second and final day of summitry in Vilnius, when the failure to agree on a timeline for Ukraine’s possible admission to NATO was covered up by fine words about the creation of a NATO-Ukraine Council and readiness to admit Ukraine when all unspecified requirements for membership are met. In parallel, we heard about how G7 countries are offering to provide security guaranties to Ukraine on a bilateral basis, though it was unclear whether such ‘guaranties’ mean boots on the ground, if necessary, or just continuing supplies of war materiel.
I was delighted to be offered an opportunity by India’s leading English-language global television channel WION to cut through the double-talk and highlight the reality that Ukraine is now likely to be pushed into negotiations with Russia by its sponsors in Washington just as it was pushed into the launch of its counter-offensive while lacking air cover that is essential to all such operations. See
Ukraine President's efforts in Lithuania fail to secure NATO membership | WION
The only consideration behind the shifting U.S. policy on Ukraine is domestic politics ahead of the next presidential race that begins in the early autumn.