CHICAGO ¨C The recent NATO summit in Vilnius concluded with a pledge to admit Ukraine once its war with Russia ends.
While the benefits of Ukraine¡¯s accession to the alliance are well established, and most NATO countries view Ukraine as a prospective member, a consensus on the country¡¯s immediate accession remains elusive.
But Ukraine and NATO¡¯s existing members are not the only potential beneficiaries of Ukrainian membership. Even Russia, which invaded Ukraine under the pretext of preventing the alliance¡¯s enlargement, has much to gain from this prospect. Ukraine¡¯s entry into NATO would enable Russia to waste fewer resources on producing and stockpiling munitions. Although the Kremlin¡¯s obsession with restoring the Russian empire will not vanish overnight, its impact on decision making could be reduced. Much like Finland¡¯s recent accession, once Ukraine¡¯s entry is a fait accompli, it will cease to be a point of contention.
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