Oleh ZARUBYNSKY, “It Is Not Moscow’s Business to Analyze Kyiv’s Mistakes”
“In what way do you think the new wave of NATO enlargement will affect Kyiv-Brussels relations?”
“As of today, NATO is by far the only effective security organization. The alliance’s eastward and southward expansion will also widen the overall area of security, which implies not only the military-political factors but also democratic standards and modern European values. Is this to the benefit of Ukraine? Undoubtedly so. First, facing the challenges and dangers of today’s world, Ukraine cannot remain aloof from Euro-Atlantic processes. Secondly, we have proclaimed the ultimate goal of joining the alliance. I am sure NATO’s enlargement up to the borders of Ukraine will improve our relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in both military and humanitarian aspects. For our relations with NATO include not only Brussels’ assistance in carrying out our military reform but also a great number of economic, scientific, and politico-democratic programs. Thus, in my view, NATO enlargement is a positive process for Ukraine to benefit from. Kyiv must do its utmost to join NATO. Although Ukraine has already achieved very much in the military field, it must also make the same progress in implementing the 2004 Target Plan, that is in democratizing its society, holding a transparent election, ensuring freedom of the media, and forming a civil society. Do we really need to do so? My answer is an unambiguous yes. For it is about the issues that are to our benefit.”
“Russia is, however, quite nervous about the alliance’s enlargement. For example, Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Duma’s international affairs committee, said recently that Ukraine’s prospective NATO membership is a strategic mistake.”
“It is not Moscow’s business to analyze the mistakes Kyiv makes on its way to NATO. Let Russia address its own problems with the EU, NATO, China, etc. I do not think Russia should interfere in Ukraine’s foreign policy, let alone try to set or somehow influence our foreign political benchmarks. Yet, Russia shows quite a predictable reaction. It took a very aggressive stand over the NATO membership of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. So what? These states have been alliance members for five years now. In the world of today, even a great power cannot possibly order a sovereign state as to who it should make friends with, who it must rely on, and which of the security areas it should be in. I think Russia will eventually calm down over the admission of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to NATO. One must adequately assess his role the present-day world because very much depends on economic power. If Russia’s GDP equals today that of the Netherlands, while the latter is one and a half that of Vinnytsia oblast, that country must take a sober view of its capabilities and, accordingly, a more moderate and well-balanced view of the foreign policy goals of other sovereign states.”
“Do you think Moscow will try to thwart Ukraine’s Euro- Atlantic integration?”
“It surely will — in fact, it is already doing so. But I think Ukrainians should plan their future by themselves. We must understand what speeds up and what slows down progress. The cause of the Russian reaction is envy. It should be admitted that Russia and NATO are now maintaining quite a serious relationship. Suffice it to recall the Twenty set up two years ago in Rome. Russia apparently wants Ukraine to follow in the wake of its foreign policy. In other words, Moscow does not want to see Ukraine as a self-sufficient and full-fledged player in its relations with NATO. Moscow seems to prefer to act on our behalf in this cooperation. I absolutely do not condemn Russia, for it furthers its own national interests. At the same time, Ukrainian politicians should not forget that they are Ukrainian politicians and that Ukraine may have its own national interests that far from always coincide with those of other, even friendly, countries.”
“How soon will Ukraine manage to increase the level of its cooperation with NATO?”
“This requires serious work — perhaps not so much in the field of the military reform as in strengthening democratic institutions. NATO is not only a military but, first of all, a political and military club. NATO would like to see among its members a Ukraine which pursues a predictable foreign and a democratic domestic policy. Our state’s NATO membership is perhaps more important for Ukraine itself than for the alliance. We have made commitments to ourselves, not to Brussels. So it is Ukraine and the Ukrainians who must meet them.”
