DISINFO: The West needs Ukraine for NATO bases as Kyiv prepares for mythical Russian invasion
SUMMARY
The West needs Ukrainian land to build NATO bases. Ukraine keeps on dreaming about NATO membership and is preparing for a mythical Russian invasion.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media, claiming that NATO is a hostile bloc, one of whose main goals is to surround Russia with military bases in former Soviet republics including Ukraine.
In reality, NATO is primarily a defensive and political organisation that first and foremost strives to prevent conflict rather than using military force to solve it. That is why the NATO-Ukraine partnership is based on defensive grounds. Joint military exercises help enhance the defence capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and are not aimed against any country. It is obvious that Kyiv's future membership in NATO will bring NATO bases to Ukrainian soil because it is quite natural for a member of a military alliance to host bases of this alliance. Together with that, NATO will bring stability to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, which is not mythical but real. It has been going on since 2014 when Russia illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and instigated a revolt in Donbas.
A communiqué issued after the meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government in Belgium on 14 June 2021 said:
“NATO does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia. Decisions we have taken are fully consistent with our international commitments, and therefore cannot be regarded by anyone as contradicting the NATO-Russia Founding Act.”
Read more disinformation narratives about NATO’s alleged provocations against Russia and the Alliance’s presence in Eastern Ukraine.