The US ambassador to NATO said that Washington was open to a security alliance with the UK and Ukraine.
Julianne Smith from the US, NATO Permanent Representative, stated on Tuesday that Washington would “want to support”The idea of a new alliance for security, that could include the UK, Poland and the Baltic States as well as Turkey, is being considered.
Last month, Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had floated the idea of a so-called “European Commonwealth”Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President, during his visit in Kiev in the early April.
According to the paper’s sources, Johnson sees the bloc as “a new system of political, economic and military alliances – alternative to the European Union.”
He thinks that Turkey should be a part of the UK and Ukraine as well as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Lithuania, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Lithuania, Lithuania, and Ukraine. “potentially, at a later stage”should meet on the basis that they share their similarities “diffidence towards Brussels,” dissatisfaction with Germany’s sluggish response to Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, and concerns over the threat posed by Moscow to security on the continent, the Italian paper reported.
Julianne Smith asked the question, “How would America react to London’s idea of a unified Europe?” “European Commonwealth.”
She responded by suggesting that such a union could actually contribute to NATO’s goal of further strengthening its eastern flank, which became a priority for the US-led alliance after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in late February.
“Obviously, we support initiatives that help build capacity. And to the extent that NATO members break off into partnerships or into some groups to help build capacity and collectively… strengthen the Alliance, then that’s something that we would want to support,”The US ambassador said.
The potential new members are not only Ukraine but also all NATO members. Poland and three Baltic States belong to the EU.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet responded to Johnson’s “European Commonwealth”Corriere della Sera said that the proposal was being considered while he waits for an EU summit’s outcome. The European leaders will decide whether Ukraine should become an EU candidate country during the meeting.
Politico reported Monday that the European Commission would support Kiev’s granting of such status. Another report suggested that countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden could oppose the Ukrainian bid because of concerns regarding corruption and the rule of the law in Ukraine.
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