Some of Russia’s demands could be negotiated, but forcing Ukraine to give up its military capabilities could be a fatal blow.
Russia’s demands for ending the war in Ukraine would render the country defenseless, leaving it vulnerable to future aggression in Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘s quest to return Russia to its Soviet Union glory. The Kremlin’s four requirements for stopping the onslaught of attacks on Ukraine give officials a place to start negotiations and Ukraine could compromise on several issues. However, Russia’s demand that Ukraine halts its pursuit of NATO membership can’t extend to military assistance from NATO countries, and demands that Ukraine demilitarize would be a fatal blow to the country. « When you’re suffering an invasion of your neighbor and they’re asking you to demilitarize, it’s not an option, » Keith Darden, an associate professor at American University’s school of international service, told Newsweek. « The only thing saving Ukraine is its military. » Russia vehemently objects to the potential for Ukraine to join NATO, accusing the post-World War II alliance of expanding in the hopes of threatening Russia. Gaining membership has been a top foreign policy priority for Ukraine, as it would strengthen the country’s defenses, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may be open to negotiating on that point. He told ABC News that Ukraine isn’t going to « beg on its knees » to be accepted, acknowledging NATO’s reluctance to make Ukraine a member, and criticized the international body for giving into its fear of confrontation with Russia. « It’s clear if you read between the lines that Ukraine will never be a part of NATO, » Michael Kimmage, a professor of history at Catholic University and fellow at the German Marshall fund, told Newsweek. Given that Ukraine may never be accepted into NATO, Kimmage called agreeing to the term a « concession on paper » but not in reality. However, it’s not a concession Ukraine can make if it means giving up the military aid NATO members provide. « Ukraine only has one real enemy and that’s Russia and what we’ve learned is that Russia is capable of rapid-fire aggression, » Kimmage, who previously served in the State Department, said. « That’s not going to change in the future, and Ukraine can’t ignore that. It would make [military concessions] very difficult to give. » Once hesitant to provide Ukraine with military equipment because of the potential for Russian provocation, America now has a significant relationship with Ukraine and is providing millions of dollars worth of weaponry. Along with its NATO allies, America helped transport more than 17,000 anti-tank weapons in the last week, according to The New York Times, and is trying to work out a deal with Poland to supply planes to Ukraine.
