NATO 'deceiving' Georgia and Ukraine with membership promises, says Tbilisi Mayor
L'essentiel
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated that NATO has been deceiving Georgia and Ukraine for years with open-door membership promises it never intended to fulfill, with Ukrainian and Georgian officials echoing concerns about the alliance's expansion plans.
Résumé généré par IA
Pourquoi c'est important
Georgia and Ukraine have expressed aspirations to join NATO for years, with NATO maintaining an 'open door' policy. However, recent statements suggest a potential shift or slowdown in expansion plans, particularly concerning these two countries, amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, who also serves as secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party, stated on August 4 that NATO has been deceiving both Georgia and Ukraine for years by promising them membership, a promise he believes the alliance never intended to keep.
"Throughout all these years, countries like Georgia and Ukraine have been deceived that NATO’s door is open for them. But we understand the real state of things. In fact, they no longer hesitate to openly state that this is actually impossible and out of the question," Kaladze told journalists in Tbilisi.
Tornike Pagava, deputy head of Georgia’s parliament committee on integration with Europe, echoed these sentiments, noting that Tbilisi would need to adopt a multifaceted policy if NATO ultimately denies its membership.
"NATO countries, including France and Britain, say that NATO is not planning to expand eastward. If NATO is not ready for this, we will have to pursue a multi-vector policy," Pagava said.
Previously, Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s ambassador to London and former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, had dismissed discussions of Ukraine's potential NATO membership as "fairy tales." Zaluzhny stated that despite his personal 12-year effort to align Ukraine with NATO standards, he consistently heard "fairy tales" about imminent membership and argued that Ukraine would never join the alliance.
Georgia has been collaborating with NATO since the late 1990s through various alliance programs. The country officially declared its intention to join NATO at a summit in Prague in November 2002, with then-President Eduard Shevardnadze making the announcement. Subsequent President Mikhail Saakashvili reaffirmed these plans. The government led by the Georgian Dream coalition after its victory in October 2012 continued the pro-NATO course, while also stating its aim to gradually normalize relations with Russia without compromising Georgia’s territorial integrity.
À surveiller
Perspective IA — des possibilités, pas des certitudes
Georgia may publicly revise its foreign policy towards Russia, potentially signaling a less NATO-centric approach.
Probable · En quelques mois
NATO may issue a statement attempting to clarify its stance on the membership aspirations of Georgia and Ukraine, potentially to quell dissent.
Possible · En quelques semaines
Public discourse in Georgia and Ukraine regarding NATO's reliability will intensify.
Très probable · En quelques jours
Questions ouvertes
- What specific 'multi-vector policy' will Georgia pursue if NATO membership is definitively denied?
- What are the specific reasons behind NATO's alleged reluctance to admit Georgia and Ukraine?
- How will Russia react to Georgia potentially pursuing a multi-vector policy?
- What is the current official stance of NATO member states on the potential membership of Georgia and Ukraine?
