Jill Dougherty on Ukraine Joining NATO: The Russians Are Trying to ‘Exploit Any Division Among the Allies’

EXCERPT:

DOUGHERTY: “Well, he obviously does not want any expansion of NATO, whatsoever. But I think what the Russians are trying to do is exploit any division among the allies or between the allies. So, this issue of should Sweden join? Obviously, Finland already is. But Sweden is a big issue. And because there are differences in terms of Ukraine, whether Ukraine should ultimately be given any type of promise or indication that it could be a member, that’s where the Russians are going to try to exploit as much as possible any type of division. So, what NATO is trying to do, obviously, is figure out how it can give security guarantees to Ukraine, which are crucial, and then how they can present something to Ukraine that would be forward-looking in terms of possible membership.”