In a revealing growth that underscores shifting geopolitical tides, the US is reportedly opposing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation to the NATO summit scheduled for late June in The Hague, Netherlands, in line with a number of diplomatic sources cited by Italy’s ANSA information company.
If confirmed, this marks the primary time because the begin of Russia’s army incursion in February 2022 that Zelensky can be absent from a NATO summit—both in particular person or just about. His exclusion, in all probability, comes as a shock to many European allies, with one Dutch official describing it bluntly to the NOS broadcaster as “a diplomatic catastrophe for the Netherlands that no speaker may justify.”
But, to many conservatives, nationalists, and anti-globalist observers weary of countless army entanglements, Zelensky’s sidelining might sign a long-overdue shift away from the globalist struggle footing that has dominated the collective West’s coverage towards the Russo-Ukrainian struggle.
The upcoming NATO summit is being tightly choreographed to keep away from offending former—and presumably future—US President Donald Trump, a well known critic of NATO’s freeloading members.
The agenda, reportedly, has been trimmed to a single session centered on rising army spending and adopting new protection functionality aims. Notably, Ukraine’s NATO membership—a topic that has fueled Western adventurism and provoked Russian safety considerations—isn’t on the agenda.
As a substitute of addressing Europe’s most risky flashpoint, the summit will embody visitors from Asia-Pacific allies—Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand—suggesting NATO is pivoting towards broader, probably China-focused considerations somewhat than doubling down on the Ukraine battle.
Even the symbolic NATO-Ukraine Council, held in current summits with Zelensky, seems to be scrapped on the chief degree. As a substitute, Kyiv could also be relegated to aspect conferences with overseas and protection ministers—an unmistakable downgrade.
In response to ANSA, “nearly all the allies have expressed doubts to Washington” over the exclusion of Ukraine, highlighting a rising divergence between america and its European companions. Nonetheless, Washington appears resolute in its message. Underneath the shadow of Trump’s affect and widespread struggle fatigue amongst American voters, Ukraine is not the centerpiece of NATO’s future.
The Italian outlet additionally confirmed that no closing choice has been made, suggesting that the Zelensky camp should still be holding out hope for a last-minute invitation. Nonetheless, given the summit’s compressed format and the deliberate effort to keep away from controversy, such a reversal seems unlikely.
Critics have famous the irony that whereas Ukraine, a rustic in an lively struggle on the European continent, is being pushed apart, non-member nations from the Asia-Pacific have been warmly invited.
The shift displays the rising ambition of NATO to function a worldwide army alliance—not merely a defensive pact amongst Atlantic nations. This globalist rebranding aligns poorly with the wants of member states like Hungary, Slovakia, and others who search peace in Europe somewhat than provocations within the Indo-Pacific.
“This isn’t about Ukraine anymore—it’s about empire-building below the guise of safety,” mentioned a senior European diplomat essential of NATO’s present trajectory, talking on situation of anonymity.
Newly appointed NATO Secretary Common Mark Rutte, an arch globalist politician, confirmed final week that Ukraine’s NATO membership isn’t assured as a part of any future peace deal. “We by no means agreed that, as a part of a peace deal, there could be assured NATO membership for Ukraine,” he mentioned.
Within the phrases of 1 NATO insider aware of the summit’s planning: “There’s merely no urge for food anymore to maintain pretending that Ukraine can be a member of NATO anytime quickly.”
Whereas NATO continues to offer coaching and army help to Kyiv, the denial of summit-level participation indicators a transparent intent to de-escalate its rhetorical and diplomatic commitments. In plain phrases, Ukraine can be more and more by itself as we transfer ahead in time.
