Abstract
The aim of the article is to analyze and evaluate the attitude of the United States towards Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership after the Cold War. Particular attention was paid to the period after the outbreak of war in 2022. The main research problem is the following questions: What role does Ukraine play in the US-Russia geostrategic rivalry after the Cold War? Has the United States been determined and consistent in supporting Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership after the Cold War? Has the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022 affected the US attitude towards Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership? The United States supported NATO’s “open door” policy, including the possibility of joining the Alliance by post-Soviet states, including Ukraine. However, international factors and the situation in Ukraine meant that the US was not determined to finalize this process, and the approach of individual US administrations to this issue fluctuated. The outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022 caused the US to postpone the issue of Ukraine’s possible membership in NATO for the post-war period. During the research, experts and scientists from research centers in Washington D.C. and New York were interviewed. The method of content analysis of text sources was also used.
References
Bandeira L. A. M. (2017), The Second Cold War. Geopolitics and the Strategic Dimensions of the USA, New York.
Betts R. K. (2022), Interview given to the author, Columbia University, New York.
Biddle S. (2022), Interview given to the author, Columbia University, New York.
Bouchet N. (2015), Democracy Promotion as US Foreign Policy. Bill Clinton and democratic enlargement, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203745236
Burns W. J., The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for Its Renewal, New York.
Cameron F. (2005), US Foreign Policy after the Cold War. Global hegemon or reluctant sheriff? Second edition, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203006573
Cecire M. H. (2022), It’s Time to Throw NATO’s Door Wide Open, 23.07.2022, https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/08/23/nato-membership-expansion-ukraine-georgia-russia-war/ (18.11.2022).
David S. (2016), Obama: the reluctant realist, in: US Foreign Policy and Global Standing in the 21st Century. Realities and perceptions, (eds.) E. Inbar, J. Rynhold, New York.
Dumbrell J. (2009), Clinton’s Foreign Policy. Between the Bushes, 1992–2000, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203007891
Edmondson C. (2022), Zelensky delivers an emotional plea to Congress: ‘I call on you to do more’, 16.03.2022, https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/16/world/ukraine-russia-war#ukraine-president-zelensky-congress-speech (18.11.2022).
Foliente R. (2008), Ukrainians complete mission in Iraq, 11.12.2008, https://www.army.mil/article/15056/ukrainians_complete_mission_in_iraq (12.11.2022).
Ganga P. (2022), Interview given to the author, Columbia University, New York.
Gardner H. (2016), American Global Strategy and the “War On Terrorism”, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315262871
George J. (2022), Interview given to the author, Columbia University, New York.
Goldgeier J. (2022), Interview given to the author, American University, Washington D.C.
Haesebrouck T., Taghon S., Van Coppenolle H. (2022), The War in Ukraine, Gent.
Hallams E. (2010), The United States and NATO since 9/11. The transatlantic alliance renewed, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203865224
Hansen B., Toft P., Wivel A. (2009), Security Strategies and American World Order. Lost power, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203888612
Kitchen N. (2017), Ending ‘permanent war’: security and economy under Obama, in: The Obama Doctrine. A legacy of continuity in US foreign policy?, (eds.) M. Bentley, J. Holland, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315731346-2
Kotoulas I. E., Pusztai W. (2022), Geopolitics of the War in Ukraine, Athens.
Kudelia S., Kasianov G. (2021), Ukraine’s Political Development after Independence, in: From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine A Contemporary History, 1991–2021, (eds.) M. Minakov, G. Kasianov, M. Rojansky, Stuttgart.
Lebovic J. H. (2022), Interview given to the author, George Washington University, Washington D.C.
Locoman E. (2022), What’s Next for Ukraine’s (and its Neighbors’) Domestic and Foreign Policy?, 7.06.2022, https://www.fpri.org/article/2022/06/whats-next-for-ukraines-and-its-neighbors-domestic-and-foreign-policy/ (18.11.2022).
Mallick P. (2022), Russia-Ukraine-Conundrum, New Delhi.
Marshall A., Rofe J. S., An aborted special relationship: US–Russia relations in the post-Cold War world: 1989–2007, in: America’s ‘Special Relationships’. Foreign and domestic aspects of the politics of alliance, (eds.) J. Dumbrell, A. R. Schäfer, New York.
Masters J. (2022), Why NATO Has Become a Flash Point With Russia in Ukraine, 20.01.2022, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/why-nato-has-become-flash-point-russia-ukraine (18.11.2022).
Minakov M., Rojansky M. (2021), Democracy in Ukraine, in: From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine. A Contemporary History, 1991–2021, (eds.) M. Minakov, G. Kasianov, M. Rojansky, Stuttgart.
Morcos P. (2022), Interview given to the author, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.C.
NATO (2008), Bucharest Summit Declaration Issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Bucharest on 3 April 2008, 3.04.2008, https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_8443.htm (10.11.2022).
NATO (2022a), Relations with Ukraine, 28.10.2022, https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_37750.htm (12.11.2022).
NATO (2022b), NATO 2022 Strategic Concept, 30.06.2022, https://www.nato.int/strategic-concept/ (10.11.2022).
NATO (2023), Vilnius Summit Communiqué Issued by NATO Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Vilnius 11 July 2023, 11.07.2023, https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_217320.htm (9.11.2023).
Ozili P. K. (2022), Global economic consequence of Russian invasion of Ukraine, “SSRN Electronic Journal”. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4064770
Pifer S. (2022), Interview given to the author, Brookings Institution, Washington D.C.
Polyakova A., Lucas E., Lo B., Lamond J., Speranza L. (2022), What Does Europe Look Like 3–7 Years After Russia’s War in Ukraine?, 24.05.2022, https://cepa.org/comprehensive-reports/what-does-europe-look-like-3-7-years-after-russias-war-in-ukraine/ (18.11.2022).
President of Ukraine (2020), УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №392/2020, 14.06.2020, https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/3922020-35037 (10.11.2022).
Reuters (2022), Timeline: The events leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 1.03.2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/events-leading-up-russias-invasion-ukraine-2022-02-28/ (18.11.2022).
Roberts C. (2022), Interview given to the author, Columbia University, New York.
Seldin J. (2022), Ukraine Eyes Fast-Tracked NATO Membership; US Pushes Back, 30.09.2022, https://www.voanews.com/a/ukraine-pushes-for-fast-tracked-nato-membership-us-pushes-back-/6770904.html (18.11.2022).
The White House (2021), Joint Statement on the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership, 1.09.2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/01/joint-statement-on-the-u-s-ukraine-strategic-partnership/ (10.11.2022).
The White House (2022), Remarks by President Biden on Russia’s Unprovoked and Unjustified Attack on Ukraine, 24.02.2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/02/24/remarks-by-president-biden-on-russias-unprovoked-and-unjustified-attack-on-ukraine/ (10.11.2022).
Toje A. (2008), America, the EU and Strategic Culture. Renegotiating the transatlantic bargain, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203929704
U.S. Department of State (1997), Minimum Requirements for NATO Membership, 30.06.1997, https://1997-2001.state.gov/regions/eur/fs_members.html (10.11.2022).
U.S. Department of State (2022a), U.S. Security Cooperation with Ukraine, 8.10.2022, https://www.state.gov/u-s-security-cooperation-with-ukraine/ (12.11.2022).
U.S. Department of State (2022b), U.S.-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership, 10.11.2021, https://www.state.gov/u-s-ukraine-charter-on-strategic-partnership/ (10.11.2022).
Van Apeldoorn B., De Graaff N. (2016), American Grand Strategy and Corporate Elite Networks. The Open Door since the end of the Cold War, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203745304
Wang Ch. (2016), Obama’s Challenge to China. The Pivot to Asia, New York.
Widmaier W. W. (2015), Presidential Rhetoric from Wilson to Obama. Constructing crises, fast and slow, New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315763033
Wong E., Jakes L. (2022), NATO Won’t Let Ukraine Join Soon. Here’s Why, 13.01.2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/us/politics/nato-ukraine.html (18.11.2022).
Youngs R. (2022), Ukraine’s EU Membership and the Geostrategy of Democratic Self-Preservation, 1.04.2022, https://carnegieeurope.eu/2022/04/01/ukraine-s-eu-membership-and-geostrategy-of-democratic-self-preservation-pub-86771 (18.11.2022).
Zakaria F. (2012), The rise of the rest, in: Debating a Post-American World. What lies ahead?, (eds.) S. Clark, S. Hoque, New York.
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Łukasz Jureńczyk
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Articles published in "Przegląd Strategiczny" are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. License (CC BY 4.0). They may be copied, redistributed and shared only if appropriate credit is given.