How quickly Ukraine joins the Membership Action Plan will depend on Ukraine itself

“In view of the NATO Prague Summit’s importance for the Alliance’s transformation, NATO enlargement and developing a new role for NATO, how do you see NATO’s new role, and, in particular, how do you think the general picture of Euroatlantic defense should look?”

“The British Government sees NATO as the key transatlantic guarantee of security for its members, and the ultimate guardian of the values enshrined in the Washington Treaty of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.

“We are convinced that the transatlantic link plays an essential role in promoting peace and security world-wide. We are working with our Allies to achieve an outcome at the Prague Summit which ensures that NATO, with the Article 5 commitment to collective defense at its core, remains the basis for European security in the 21st century, as it was so successfully in the 20th.

“Specifically, we propose that the Alliance should agree at Prague to:

* An effective NATO role against the new threats presented by international terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction;

* Renewed efforts to enhance flexible, deployable military capabilities, allowing NATO forces to be moved quickly to wherever they are needed;

* Invitations to all aspirant members ready to meet Alliance standards;

* Clear benefits to both sides from the new relationship between NATO and Russia;

* An enhanced, mutually beneficial relationship between NATO and Ukraine, based on shared values;

* A greater focus on the area to NATO’s south, including through the Mediterranean Dialog;

* Internal restructuring which ensures that an enlarged Alliance remains effective.”

“Which role could and should Ukraine play within this new system? To what extent would the UK be interested in supporting Ukraine in its movement towards NATO; what status could Ukraine count on in its relations with NATO in the near future (a modernized consultative mechanism or a new mechanism which will, to some extent, envisage participation in decision making)? Can it be said that on a new level of relations between the parties the Ukrainian contribution to the general European security could be more significant?”

“We welcome Ukraine’s strong determination to pursue full Euro-Atlantic integration and an enhanced contribution to European security. We have been providing practical assistance to this end, along with other Allies. We strongly supported the decision by NATO Foreign Ministers at their meeting in Reykjavik in May to give new impetus and substance to the Partnership with Ukraine, including through intensified consultations and cooperation on political, economic and defense issues.

“For NATO and Ukraine to develop a closer relationship, Ukraine must make clear its respect for core Alliance values and standards, including a stable democracy, a market economy, the rule of law and a reformed defense sector. Concerns within NATO that Ukraine falls short of meeting these standards in some areas were made clear by Allied Ministers at the NATO Ukraine Ministerial in Reykjavik. Specific mention was made of press freedom and allegations surrounding Ukrainian supply of heavy weapons to Macedonia. More recently, Allies have expressed concern about press reports of Ukrainian links to programs by third countries to produce weapons of mass destruction in defiance of UN Security Council Resolutions.”

“Can Ukraine count on UK support in the process of joining the intensive dialog and Membership Action Plan? Currently, what are the obstacles? In this context, what do Ukraine and the Ukrainians have to be ready for?”

“We believe that Ukraine’s immediate focus should be on developing the expanded distinctive partnership under the NATO-Ukraine Charter agreed at Reykjavik. There is the potential to do much more under the existing agreement, and we hope Ukraine will use this new opportunity to the full.

“In the longer term, under NATO’s open door policy, Ukraine could in principle be a potential participant in the Membership Action Plan – as could other countries now in NATO’s Partnership programs. Whether, and how quickly, this can happen will depend on Ukraine’s ability to demonstrate adherence to Allied standards.”

“Currently, what is NATO’s weakest link (a lot has been said, in particular, about the problems of trust between the USA and its European allies)?”

“NATO is an immensely strong organization, as proved by over forty years of keeping the peace in Europe during the Cold War, and its more recent success in helping to bring peace to the Balkans. The challenge for all of us now is to ensure that an enlarged Alliance has the right structures, capabilities and partnerships for continued success in defending us against the very different range of threats facing us at the beginning of the 21st Century.”