Photo: NATO Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone (Getty Images) Author: Irina Gamerskaia
Is the issue of Ukraine's membership in NATO still open and what does the Alliance think about the prospects for peace talks with Russia?
NATO Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone in an interview with RBC-Ukraine voiced his opinion regarding the future of Ukraine and the role of NATO, the main statements – read in the material below.
Key points:
- A stronger Europe benefits America and makes NATO stronger.
- All decisions in NATO are always made in coordination with all members.
- Thanks to the deterrence and defense posture, the likelihood of a “clash” between NATO and Russia is low, although not excluded.
- We must deter any potential ambitions by Russia or any other adversary to act against the Alliance.
- NATO has seen no plans to change the US military presence in Europe.
- The Armed Forces of Ukraine will remain the main guarantee of security for Ukraine.
- A frozen conflict in Ukraine is the worst-case scenario.
We are only at the initial stage of peace negotiations.
According to Dragone, now is only the initial stage of peace negotiations, diplomats are working 24/7, and the key task is to achieve a fair and lasting peace as quickly as possible.
“It is extremely important for Ukraine to approach the negotiation process from a position of strength. This is why NATO continues to support Ukraine, waiting for developments. This is not about fueling the war, but about ensuring that Ukraine can defend itself both now and in the future,” he emphasizes, noting that a strong Ukraine will have a higher chance of reaching a favorable agreement for a stable world.
As for Russia, the NATO admiral stressed that it is an aggressor and has repeatedly violated previous agreements.
“That is why it is necessary to carefully analyze any proposed conditions. Ukraine has already agreed to a ceasefire – now it is Russia's turn,” he added.
The admiral also stressed that a bad peace could be worse than no peace, and the worst-case scenario is a frozen conflict.
Ukraine's NATO membership is not part of peace talks
According to Dragone, the issue of Ukraine's membership in NATO is not yet part of the current peace talks and there is no agreement on the country's automatic entry into the Alliance after the completion of peace talks.
“However, in the future, if all the necessary conditions are met, in particular the interest of Ukraine itself and the unanimous support of all allies, the possibility of starting the process of strengthening ties between Ukraine and NATO cannot be ruled out,” he added.
Speaking about the deployment of European troops in Ukraine as a security guarantee, Dragone noted that this could be useful, but under certain conditions:
- absolute ceasefire,
- having a strong mandate, “preferably under the auspices of the UN,”
- These should not only be European troops, and they should be numerous enough to be present along the entire Russian-Ukrainian border.
At the same time, he noted that the main guarantee of security for Ukraine will remain its Armed Forces.
“Ukraine will continue to receive important assistance from a number of countries in the form of arms supplies, training and interoperability. This will allow it to restore the capabilities that were depleted by the war and to reorganize its armed forces to provide the necessary deterrence to prevent new aggression,” he assures.
NATO's Main Threats – Russia and Terrorist Groups
Dragone calls Russia and terrorist groups the main threats to the Alliance. However, speaking about a possible conflict with Russia, he considers the risks low.
“We must deter any potential ambitions of Russia or any other adversary to act against the Alliance. We must do this primarily through diplomacy, but any negotiations must be supported by our position of strength. The combination of soft and hard power is a unique feature of NATO,” he notes.
Ukraine Peace Talks: What We Know So Far
Let us recall that in March, several rounds of US talks with Ukraine and Russia took place in Saudi Arabia, the main topic being a ceasefire. The format of the talks is called “shuttle diplomacy.” The American side communicates separately with the Ukrainian and Russian sides. Between these rounds of face-to-face meetings, a conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin also took place.
The results of the negotiations are currently ambiguous. Since after the first meeting between the US and Ukraine, an agreement was reached on a complete ceasefire for 30 days: at sea, in the sky and along the entire front line. Ukraine agreed if Russia agreed. After that, Putin said that he agreed to the truce, but he had conditions. In particular, the dictator demanded that for the duration of the truce, Ukraine stop mobilization, and the allies stop supplying weapons.
After the US meetings with Ukraine and Russia this week, a new version of the ceasefire emerged – a ban on shelling energy. Security in the Black Sea was also discussed, but here Russia put forward a condition – lifting sanctions.
It is worth noting that the enemy attacked Kherson yesterday, the city was partially left without electricity, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he was waiting for the US reaction to this shelling.