Should Georgia and Ukraine be allowed to enter NATO this year?

NATO• North Atlantic Treaty Organization• Mission: promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic Area and

to unite their efforts for collective defense and for the preservation of peace and security

• 28 member states • Standards to join NATO:

– a functioning democratic political system based on a market economy– the fair treatment of minority populations– a commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts – the ability and willingness to make a military contribution to NATO operations– a commitment to democratic civil-military relations and institutional structures

History

• Signed in April 1949 with 12 members

• Greece and Turkey became members in 1951

• Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic admitted as members in 1999

• Lativa, Lithuana, Estonia (Baltic States) admitted in 2004

History

• April 2008: Bucharest: NATO decides not to offer membership plans to Georgia and Ukraine even though U.S. supported both countries joining

• December 2008: Georgia and Ukraine told they do not meet standards to join NATO

Georgia• Democracy and market economy: improving since the presidency

of Mikheil Saakhashvili but complicated due to Russia’s support of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

• Minority populations: 83.8% Georgian population, problems with people in the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions

• Peaceful resolution of conflicts: In 2008, Russia unilaterally recognized the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions and occupied them as well as proper Georgia; peacekeeping Russian troops are in Abkhazia

• Military contributions to NATO operations: none yet• Commitment to democratic civil-military relations and institutional

structures: working with Russian peacekeepers and United Nations military observer group

Ukraine• Democracy and market economy: legacy of USSR

remains, last election considered legitimate• Minority populations: no huge problems• Peaceful resolution of conflicts: Peaceful mass

protest “Orange Revolution” in 2004• Military contributions to NATO operations:

troops in Afghanistan • Commitment to democratic civil-military

relations and institutional structures: elections and votes to solve problems with leadership

Nature of the Issue today

Positives• NATO as a security

community• Reinforce democracy• 1995 study claims that a

more inclusive NATO enhances security and stability among members

Negatives• Efficiency: the more

members added, the more difficult it will become to reach agreement

• Russia does not approve – Improving relations w/Russia– Isolating Russia

Alternative Solutions• Allow Georgia Georgia seems to meet fewer of the

standards (recent fighting w/ Russia) BUT these arguments may be good cause for Georgia to join in order to gain the support it needs

• Allow Ukraine Ukraine has struggled with democracy

since the end of the USSR with democracy and market economy but it has troops in Afghanistan and could benefit from support from other democratic states

• Allow neither Neither state meets the standards

100% and relations with Russia are starting to look better. Most members of NATO say that both countries will eventually become members of NATO; they can wait for another year or so while we improve relations with Russia

• Allow both Both states show that they are

working towards democracy, peace and positive relations with the international community. Both states could use support which is what NATO is about

Recommended Solution

• Security for both old and new member countries

• Reinforcement of Democracy• Need for deterrence: deter

any possible conflict • Furthers U.S. goal for a more

integrated Europe• Strengthens standing and

legitimacy

I recommend that the United States support the entry of both Georgia and Ukraine into NATO. Both countries exhibit the traits required for recommendation into NATO and those requirements not met (Georgia war) could be better met with the promise of security and support from other NATO members. Article 10 of the NATO Treaty describes the “Open Door Policy” NATO supports which states that that no country in Europe may be excluded from consideration to be a member of NATO because of its history or geography.

Let’s support peace and security

• There are risks to supporting the entry of both Ukraine and Georgia into NATO

• Our country was founded upon many of the goals of NATO

• Russia is very important and we should continue to try to create better relations

• But peace, security and democracy are more important