Kyiv confident NATO will not give Russia any non-expansion guarantees
Yehor Cherniev, Head of the Ukrainian Parliament's permanent delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, believes that the Alliance will not make any official decisions on non-expansion, as demanded by Russia.
Source: Cherniev in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine on Friday 30 May, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Chiernev said this after Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, said in an interview with ABC News that Washington considers Russia's concerns about NATO expansion to be justified and is ready to discuss them.
"It is highly unlikely that Kellogg's statement will have any consequences or influence the peace process," Cherniev said. "After all, as far as can be understood from his remarks, the US is ready to give Russia verbal promises that will not be legally binding."
According to Cherniev, the Kremlin has always emphasised that it needs written guarantees in the form of official international legally binding documents. However, he is convinced that no one will give it such guarantees.
He noted that the adoption of such a decision would contradict the NATO Charter and the decisions of previous summits.
"Secondly, it would mean official recognition of Russia's veto power over Alliance decisions," he added. "Thirdly, such a decision could not be taken by NATO itself due to the position of many countries that unconditionally support us on the path to accession. Therefore, no official NATO decisions on this matter will be taken."
He noted that Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin may be satisfied with verbal guarantees and promises only if he desperately needs a few years' respite to gather strength for another war.
Background: The Kremlin has welcomed Kellogg's statement that the United States is ready to discuss NATO non-expansion, which Russia insists on.
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