Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on Tuesday, a day after visiting Georgia. The trip is part of Washington’s plans to increase support for the two countries that both share a border with Russia.
Ahead of the trip, Pentagon officials told The Washington Times that Austin would stress that there is an “open door to NATO” for Ukraine and Georgia. Russia has previously said that Ukraine joining NATO would be a “red line,” something Austin addressed Tuesday.
“No third country has a veto over NATO’s membership decisions. Ukraine, as you heard me say earlier, has a right to decide its own future foreign policy and we expect that they will be able to do that without any outside interference,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is eager to join NATO, but the US says Ukraine must make some “reforms” before joining the alliance. “The United States remains committed to helping Ukraine implement these reforms through a robust advisory effort,” Austin said.
In 2008, NATO officials agreed that Ukraine could eventually be a member of the alliance. But those plans were shelved when Viktor Yanukovych became Ukraine’s president in 2010. But since Yanukovych was ousted by a US-backed coup in 2014, Ukraine has moved much closer to NATO’s orbit.
Georgia was also promised a NATO membership in 2008. In Georgia on Monday, Austin discussed the “reforms” the country was making for the potential membership. “Georgia continues to make progress in terms of military reform and capabilities,” he said. “Our embassy noted some problems with the recent elections, but we also expressed confidence in Georgia’s ability to improve as time goes forward.”
Austin and his Georgian counterpart signed an agreement extending US military support to Georgia for another six years. With respect to Georgia and Ukraine, Austin slammed Russia and vowed to support the “sovereignty” of each nation.
We bribe for advisory reforms, others do outside interference. But even the citizens living elsewhere have no right to decide their future, such as the referendum where Crimea succeeded and joined Russia. For that the US insists on territorial integrity for Ukraine instead of democracy.
Another one of Hillary & “Toiria’s” big successes along with Libya. Where after Gaddafi was snuffed enterprising entrepreneurs opened auction houses selling people. Was it done as a favor to Jeffrey Epstein so he could pick up some new young talent…?????
Exactly! Victoria Nuland is the genius here. Likely the point of her recent Kremlin visit was to shove it down Russia’s throat, …with all the eloquent locutions her lady-like tongue could lay hold of.
But, how lovely seeing Lloyd Austin doing such faithful Colin Powell duty as chief house lackey.
Nuland is the absolute worst version of a diplomat and the Russians know it so well.The recent “talks” in Moscow continued her domineering message which went over like a lead balloon.
Oh, NO…. Another fool with his hands on the buttons…WTF..!!!!! Doesn’t he know that sometimes countries that attack their neighbors lose some or their territory and their sovergnty over it to those that they invaded… Another lackey stooge of the empire as a former one departs. Gotta keep the show running or something awful like peace could occur.
““No third country has a veto…” implicit that there is only one country in NATO that matters.
If it were not a tragedy, it would be a comedy. Other countries have to “improve” and “reform” to meet our standards? Our standards allow the lobbying of politicians using actual money!
https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/top-recipients
Thanks Carlton- it is easy to forget this background, and now that Saakashvili has been in Ukraine and now returned to Georgia we see things are still as bad.
Stoking tensions is entirely the point.
Either Ukraine and Georgia join NATO and NATO moves a step closer to Russia and get a new casus belli, or Russia finally has enough and NATO fights to the last drop of Ukrainian and Georgian blood, not to mention has an new excuse to paint Russia as the bad guy.
To describe these provocations as delusional would be a gross understatement. These forays into geostrategic issues by complete amateurs with the childish threats may result in some very serious consequences.
The Russians may say bring it as they did with massive mobilization in a matter of days earlier this year.
“No third country has a veto over NATO’s membership decision” Third?????? the USA has to rule the globe, NATO pretends to be useful when it is an obsolete gang needing to be disbanded to allow some possible cooperation and even peace. What on earth business does the USA have in Ukraine, a failed state, and Georgia, a nothingburger, except to provoke their neighbour, Russia which the USA has decided is an enemy?
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/10/more-brain-death-at-nato.html#more
More Brain Death at NATO.
http://thesaker.is/on-suitcases-handles-and-firestarters/
Suitcases, Handles, and Fire Starters.