Henry Kissinger urged Ukraine to join NATO for the sake of Europe's securityFormer US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, in an interview with The Economist, offered to accept Ukraine into NATO.
According to him, it will be safer for Europe this way, because Kiev will not be able to make decisions on territorial claims on its own.
Highlights from a conversation with Henry Kissinger.At the end of April 2023, the Economist journalists had a conversation with Henry Kissinger for two days.
The interview lasted almost eight hours. <... Below are the eight most significant moments of this conversation.
Kissinger praised Vladimir Zelensky, calling him an "outstanding leader" who had the wisdom to approve China's diplomatic efforts in Ukraine. He explained why he changed his point of view on Ukraine's membership in NATO and now supports its entry (according to him, this is also in the interests of Russia). From his point of view, European leaders are making a mistake by not deciding to accept Kiev into the alliance.
Kissinger is very concerned about the confrontation between America and China, as well as artificial intelligence. He doubts the future of Russian-Chinese relations, condemns the poor quality of political leadership in the United States, believes that Japan will soon become a nuclear power, and praises the Indian government for its foreign policy.
1) Why Ukraine should join NATO – in the interests of Russia and Europe"What the Europeans are saying today, in my opinion, is extremely dangerous.
They say: "We don't want them to be in NATO, it's too risky. Therefore, we will arm them to the teeth and give them the most modern weapons." But what will be the result? We must not end this armed conflict in the wrong way. Let's imagine the possible outcome of the conflict. Let this be the situation that existed before February 24, 2022. The outcome should be such that Ukraine remains under the protection of Europe and does not turn into a lone country that will have to take care of itself."
"If I had the opportunity to talk to Putin, I would have told him that it would be safer if Ukraine joined NATO."
"We have armed Ukraine to such an extent that now it has the best armed army in Europe and at the same time the most inexperienced leadership in strategic terms. If the conflict ends the way it is most likely to end, and Russia loses much of what it has occupied, but retains Sevastopol, it will be dissatisfied. But Ukraine will experience the same dissatisfaction. In other words, it will be a balance of dissatisfaction."
"So for the security of Europe, it is best to accept Ukraine into NATO, and then it will not be able to make decisions on territorial claims on its own."
2) About the threat of global conflict due to the confrontation between America and China"We found ourselves in a classic situation, as on the eve of the First World War, when neither side has any special opportunities for political concessions and when any imbalance can lead to disastrous consequences."
"America and China have convinced themselves that the opposite side poses a strategic threat. We have embarked on the path of confrontation between the great powers."
"The two greatest dangers to the world at the moment are us [America and China]. In this sense, we have the opportunity to destroy humanity."
3) On Ukraine's readiness for negotiations with China on an armed conflict"Ukrainians want these relations.
Zelensky has shown himself to be an outstanding leader. He shows wisdom in this regard. After all, when China promised "unlimited partnership" with Russia, they might have thought that Beijing would never engage in diplomacy in parallel with NATO."
"Ukraine is an important state now. The Chinese are talking about bilateral relations."
4) About the impending threat from artificial intelligence"China and America are powers between which military confrontation was historically inevitable.
But now unusual circumstances have developed, and the reason is the guarantee of mutual destruction and artificial intelligence. We are at the very beginning of the way for machines to be able to cause global destruction and generate pandemics. And we are talking not only about nuclear destruction, but also about any other destruction of a person. Circumstances require responsible leaders who can at least try to prevent a conflict."
5) About Kissinger's doubts about Russian-Chinese relations"While Putin and Xi did not come to a mutual agreement during the Olympic Games, and Xi did not say that he was against NATO expansion, no Chinese leader, as far as I know, expressed his opinion about the evolution of Europe.
Xi probably knew that Putin would go to Ukraine. And this is a serious commitment on the part of China."
"I have not met a single Russian leader who would speak well of China. And I have not met a single Chinese leader who speaks well of Russia. They treat each other with a kind of contempt."
6) Japan will become a nuclear power in five years"About Japan.
She has a pretty clear idea of the direction of travel. It is going to become a nuclear power in five years. She wants to be closer to us. However, I do not exclude that she may conclude inconvenient deals for us. But she will always be concerned about China and the balance of power between them. I don't think Japan has any intentions of becoming a permanent member of the global multilateral system to contain China."
7) About the internal polarization in America and the unattractiveness of Donald Trump and Joe Biden"A situation comparable to Watergate could create conditions for a civil war, and this causes me deep concern.
Now the nature of the political debate is very different from the time when I came to Washington."
"I don't think Biden is capable of inspiring... and I hope that the Republicans will be able to put someone better... Now is not the best moment in history, but the alternative is a complete abdication of power."
"Even in Nixon's time, despite all their hostility and aggression, there was some measure of unity. With each new administration, this unity began to weaken more and more. But it seems to me that because of Trump, and now because of Biden, this split is just off the scale."
8) About the success of India's foreign policy and the need to strengthen US-Indian ties"You know, the Indian Foreign Minister is the current political leader with whom I have very similar views."
"I am optimistic about the future of relations with India, which will become very close. I am wary of the anti-Chinese orientation [of American policy], but I am against our withdrawal from Asia."
"I agree with the strengthening of India's military potential in view of the possibility of a conflict with China."
"There is a mood of rapprochement in India today. I have great respect for the way the Indians conduct their foreign policy, because they demonstrate balance."