At least let Ukraine join NATO

It’s well known that President-Elect Trump’s plans to end the war in Ukraine will involve surrendering territory and will likely involve Ukraine being forced into neutrality between NATO and Russian allies. This is unfortunate for Ukrainians, the vast majority of which consider America a friend and would be extremely fortunate for Russia, who could just violate that neutrality again.

If any territory is going to be lost and let’s be honest, some will, Ukraine must be allowed to join NATO as compensation. Russia will have accomplished at least one of their goals in the war — to annex Russian speaking Ukrainian oblasts — and bringing Ukraine into NATO allows them to rebuild as an independent nation in peace, with good allies who protected them from total annihilation. Everyone walks away from this nearly three-year tragedy with something accomplished.

Neutrality can only be an option if the borders of Ukraine are returned to where they were before the invasion, in order to delegitimize conquest in the modern day. As an electorate, this country may have given up hope that Ukraine can win this war and American hegemony over European security may now be a dead dream, that doesn’t mean we have to give up completely and abandon those who are counting on us.

Edward Moritz

Warrenville