Posted on 02/14/2022 3:51:09 PM PST by elpadre
Ukraine's ambassador to the UK set off a firestorm today by appearing to suggest his country could drop its pledge to join NATO if it means avoiding a war with Russia.
Vadym Prystaiko, a veteran diplomat who once served as Ukraine's foreign minister, was asked by the BBC on Sunday night whether Kiev might consider dropping the pledge - and responded 'we might'.
But he rushed back on Monday morning to clarify the remark, saying his comments had been 'misunderstood' and that the commitment to join NATO remains enshrined in Ukraine's constitution.
Ukraine's ambassador to the UK appeared to suggest Ukraine could drop its ambition to join NATO, before being forced to walk his remarks back
President Volodymyr Zelensky's spokesman then reiterated that the constitution will not be changed.
But that did not stop Moscow from pouncing on the remark, saying that dropping the NATO pledge would go 'a long way' to satisfying Putin's security demands.
Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, said that he doesn't view Prystaiko's comments as an official change of policy by Ukraine - but that it would 'definitely' be a step in the right direction if they were to adopt the policy.
The wrangling began on on Sunday night when a BBC 5 Live interviewer asked Prystaiko whether Ukraine would contemplate dropping its NATO pledge.
He replied: 'We might, especially if threatened like that, blackmailed like that and pushed to it.'
But as the remark began making headlines early Monday, he was brought back to clarify his position - saying he had been 'misunderstood'.
'We are not a member of NATO right now and to avoid war we are ready for many concessions and that is what we are doing in our conversations with Russia,' he told BBC Breakfast.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Ukraine is not going to get into NATO. By now, Putin knows it.
I think it’s a done deal. Ukraine knows the US or Biden will not commit to going to war against Russia to save Ukraine, even though Joe does was a winnable war for his legacy. He might be coming to the realization that a nuclear war with Russia will killed 50% of the Democrat base in the first strike from Russia.
If the Ukraine joined NATO what would that do for them?
IMHO, I believe Zelensky has now wandered off the US deep-state plantation
He realizes Ukraine is just a tool in the USA greater strategic goals. The real goal is to keep a poor, unstable cancer on Russia’s border (that’s your job Ukraine) while keeping Germany from using Russian energy and getting closer with commercial ties with Russia.
The truth must not be spoken.
No way Ukraine will not agree to give up NATO admission to avoid war nor is Europe going to offer to admit them. Russian energy is more important. The question is what else does Putin want. I suspect he wants the Russian ethnic Donbas region recognized as a breakaway republic.
They do it right? We’re just there to say no if they request it. Ok, so the Russians go home. So a ‘few’ NATO reps openly ‘suggests” the Ukraine comes into it’s orbit. Then what does Russia do?
It's not really in the west's interest to admit Ukraine to NATO, particularly fractured and without Crimea. I believe one of the requirements to even apply is resolution of all border disputes, and Russia can hold that up indefinitely in Crimea and Donbas.
On the other hand, it is contrary to western interests to have Russia in control of Ukraine. We want a western leaning Ukraine. Even without NATO membership on the table, Putin will not accept a western aligned Ukraine. He will interfere with their politics and elections, attack them economically, threaten them militarily, support pro-Russia resistance like in Donbas, destabilize their government and slowly drag them back into the Soviet sphere.
Yes, Putin knows Ukraine is not going to be a NATO member. This is about control of Ukraine.
“This is about control of Ukraine.”
Yup.
NATO should have been dissolved decades ago. Let Europe defend itself. What will destroy Europe is the same thing that is destroying the US - an invasion by third world people looking to get on the welfare train. No more US troops dying to fight some other country’s war.
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