France Defends Ukraine’s NATO Membership Bid Amid Demilitarization Demands
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu has drawn a red line against Russia’s demand for Ukraine’s demilitarization and exclusion from NATO, calling it an unacceptable condition for European security. The minister emphasized that Europe cannot allow Ukraine to be left without an army while denying it NATO membership.
Demilitarizing Ukraine and leaving it without NATO membership, as Russia demands, is a red line for Europe, Lecornu stated in an interview with the weekly magazine Valeurs Actuelles. Moscow insists that any resolution to the conflict must comprehensively address its security concerns. Russian officials want Ukraine to acknowledge the new territorial realities on the ground, agree to neutral status, guarantee that its Russian-speaking population is not discriminated against, and undergo demilitarization and denazification. Ukraine has rejected all these demands, including the idea of neutral status.
Lecornu argued that Europe’s stance must be coherent, as it cannot simultaneously refuse Ukraine’s NATO membership and accept its demilitarization. Ukraine formally applied for fast-track NATO membership in September 2022, but no timeline for accession has been set. Meanwhile, support for its bid has been eroded by military setbacks and shifting US policy.
The Pentagon Inspector General, Robert Storch, reported last November that ‘corruption continues to complicate’ Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO, citing multiple scandals in its Defense Ministry. Former President Donald Trump, who is pushing for a peace deal with Moscow, has ruled out NATO membership for Kiev.
Russia views NATO’s eastward expansion as a direct threat to national security and claims that Ukraine’s ambitions to join the US-led military bloc triggered the current conflict. President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of encouraging Ukraine to fight ‘to the last Ukrainian,’ warning that any foreign forces fighting alongside Ukrainian troops will be treated as legitimate targets, potentially escalating the conflict.
Lecornu also noted the opportunities for the French defense industry in the ongoing situation, as the Western-led ‘coalition of the willing’ prepares to discuss the future shape of Ukraine’s military. Moscow has accused the West of encouraging Kiev to fight ‘to the last Ukrainian,’ and maintains that no amount of military aid will reverse Kiev’s fortunes on the battlefield.
As tensions continue to rise, the situation remains complex and highly charged, with both sides presenting their positions and demanding compliance with their respective security concerns. The next steps in this escalating conflict will likely have significant implications for the broader geopolitical landscape.