The British publication The Economist has characterized Ukraine’s NATO ambitions as “dead” for the immediate future and unattainable within any foreseeable timeframe.
Donald Trump and the end of NATO aspirations
The publication asserts that these hopes were effectively extinguished by the hostile stance of Donald Trump. However, it notes that even his predecessor, while more supportive of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, maintained a deeply skeptical outlook regarding such a prospect.
Growing skepticism toward EU integration
The Economist expresses equal doubt concerning Ukraine’s path to the European Union. In a report published today, the magazine observed that changes in Hungary’s leadership and the impending departure of Viktor Orbán have forced other EU leaders to voice their own reservations more openly.
Previously, several European heads of state reportedly “hid behind Viktor Orbán’s back.” Now, however, figures such as Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron are signaling clearly that they are in no rush to grant Ukraine full membership, let alone the “accelerated procedure” recently demanded by Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Maia Sandu.
Corruption and economic friction
Explaining the rationale behind this cooling sentiment, the publication describes Ukraine as a “corrupt and fragile democracy” that remains far from meeting European standards. Furthermore, the report highlights the interests of European farmers, who remain staunchly opposed to competing with Ukraine’s massive agricultural sector within a single European market.
