Ex-deputy Sec-General of NATO: new status for Georgia, Ukraine may push forward their NATO membership

Former deputy secretary general of NATO and US ex-ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow says that the creation of a new status for Georgia and Ukraine may push forward the countries’ NATO membership. 

At an online event by Atlantic Council yesterday, Vershbow said that this could be the status of an associated member. 

Vershbow said that NATO promised Georgia and Ukraine to allow them into the alliance. However, he said that the alliance was unsure of how membership could be achieved, as the countries have their territories occupied.

He stated that the creation of the new status for the two countries may resolve the problem for membership. 

In his previous interviews Vershbow said that “Russia thinks it can block NATO accession by occupying Georgian (and Ukrainian) territory. Georgia is stuck in limbo as long as Russia is ruled by leaders ready to use force to block its path to NATO.