If Ukraine Will Join NATO, Give Her The Tools To Win Against Russia

This month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stirred up controversy when he told reporters that Ukraine will become a NATO member in the future. Some American commentators denounced this as “reckless rhetoric.” Many critics believe that further pledges of support will prevent an hasty end to the war with Russia, which they consider the United States’s principal interest in the conflict.

Much of this criticism of Blinken, however, is overwrought. Western leaders are not seriously proposing that Ukraine will become a NATO member while the war is ongoing. In fact, last year’s Vilnius Summit Communiqué clearly said that the alliance will only “be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join… when Allies agree and conditions are met.” Despite critics’ fears, Ukraine still has a long, long road to travel before entering NATO.

At the same time, though, his critics are correct to label Blinken’s statement somewhat reckless. While the sentiment is altogether fitting and proper, the Biden administration has shown very little willingness to provide Ukraine the kind of support she really needs to win this war and meet the aforementioned conditions. If this administration is serious about expanding NATO, it also needs to get serious about achieving a real victory in Ukraine.

From the earliest days of the war, the Biden administration dragged its feet on supplying Ukraine with the resources she could use to turn the tide. While President Biden was making inspiring speeches about solidarity with the Ukrainian struggle in the spring of 2022, he was hypocritically vetoing Polish plans for a transfer of MiG fighter planes to the embattled country. The administration claimed that such a move would be too “high risk.” Even though Vladimir Putin had launched the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II, the Biden administration was too afraid of “escalating tensions” with Russia to give Ukraine a serious battlefield advantage when she needed it most.

Read more in 19FortyFive.