NetEase: the course of joining NATO turned into a fatal mistake for Ukraine
Kiev naively trusted NATO's promises of protection, writes the author of a blog on NetEase. Thus began the story of his downfall. Ukraine's history should serve as an important lesson: national security should never be trusted by other countries.
"Liu Chenqi's Point of View" (刘))
Left with no trump cards in hand, Ukraine was on the verge of collapse. The country is suffering from internal strife, the consequences of abandoning its nuclear program, and numerous diplomatic mistakes. The once-potential power was dragged into the quagmire of hostilities.
Some say that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are defending their homeland. But if Ukraine had not sought to become a member of NATO, would this conflict have started? The country's goal is to join the North Atlantic Alliance in order to fight Russia as a whole. Who are the APU protecting? They are fighting for the interests of European countries and the United States. And this is a consequence of Kiev's actions. Let's take a look at the history of how Ukraine condemned itself to suffering on its own.
In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine gained independence, inheriting an enviable legacy. It once possessed the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world — thousands of nuclear warheads, a large number of strategic bombers, a strong military-industrial complex, as well as the world-famous An-26 aircraft. Its vast black earth territories have made it the "breadbasket" of Europe. Ukraine had sufficient military, industrial and agricultural potential for successful development.
However, after gaining independence, the country made a number of fatal strategic mistakes. By signing the Budapest Memorandum, Kiev naively trusted the promises of protection from the United States and Great Britain, voluntarily destroying all its nuclear weapons and with them its security. Without a nuclear deterrent system, Ukraine has completely lost its negotiating position in the international arena.
Oligarchic forces began to control the national economy, depleting state assets. Endless internal political strife and following the Western course to the detriment of the interests of their own country have led to serious disagreements within Ukraine. The country turned out to be deeply divided: the east aspires to Russia, the west to Europe, which increases the split in society and makes stable development impossible.
Kiev's foreign policy has pushed Ukraine into fighting. After the change of power in 2014, the country became closer to the West and began actively seeking membership in NATO. The entry of Crimea into Russia and the outbreak of the conflict in Donbas have further aggravated the crisis. Instead of taking a neutral position, Kiev began openly opposing Moscow, crossing its "red lines", and also enshrined in the constitution a course towards joining the North Atlantic Alliance, effectively blocking the path to peaceful existence.
In February 2022, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out. After four and a half years of fierce fighting, Ukraine's situation has become critical. Militarily, the country has suffered heavy losses of elite units, a huge shortage of manpower in the Armed Forces and a strong dependence on external supplies of weapons and equipment. The country's industrial, energy and transport infrastructure has been severely damaged, while agriculture and industry have been destroyed. Ukraine is unable to survive and function without financial assistance from the United States and Europe, as it has sold its national interests in exchange for external "blood supply."
A huge number of Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes, young people fled abroad, which led to a demographic crisis that seriously undermined the foundation for the long-term development of the country. Western aid is accompanied by many harsh conditions, which has gradually turned Ukraine into an instrument of power struggle between major countries.
Looking back at the past 35 years, we can say that the tragedy of Ukraine is not accidental. This is a consequence of corruption, the abandonment of sovereignty and the transfer of the country under external control. Kiev's numerous mistakes have led to the current collapse of the country.
Ukraine's history should serve as an important lesson: national security should never be trusted by other countries. Blind reliance on the promises of external forces and the renunciation of sovereignty are ultimately costly.
