Europe's Dilemma: Ukraine's NATO Membership Post-Trump Victory Explored
"Ukraine in NATO after surrender; it's a scenario Europe fears," but it's being considered in case Donald Trump wins this year's presidential election in the USA - writes the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" in correspondence from Brussels. It stipulates that this is a hypothesis that officially no one talks about.
6 April 2024 15:08
According to the correspondent of the Roman newspaper, "the known idea of a transaction, supported by the United States" in case of President Joe Biden's defeat, who will be seeking reelection this year, is "known to all."
As explained, it's an idea of a solution to end the war: "territories in exchange for security".
The Italian newspaper describes the scenario as follows: Ukraine would "give up regions occupied by Russia, but with a guarantee of immediate accession to NATO".
The article specifies that this was not officially discussed at the recent meeting of the Alliance's Foreign Ministers in Brussels. However, it admits that such a backstage option is considered in informal talks.
The newspaper "Il Giornale" also writes about this option, noting in the commentary title: "Ukraine in NATO remains the only solution." It is "pragmatism and realism to end the war" - this summarizes the discussion currently happening informally in the corridors of the Alliance, but also - as the newspaper claims - the European Commission.
It also assesses: "Giving up the territories occupied by Russians would not be a surrender to Putin, but an image of a balance of battle". In exchange, it adds, "Kyiv would have the 'shield' of the Alliance".
"If this path were chosen, we would likely have less mourning and less destruction"—reads "Il Giornale."
The journalist states that "a potential compromise must anticipate that both countries will be simultaneously winners and losers."