Досліджено правову природу НАТО як військово-політичного союзу з метою вивчення питання вступу України в міжнародну міжурядову організацію. Також наведені переваги та недоліки вступу України в НАТО на основі аналізу законодавчих актів та доктринальних матеріалів

Ключові слова: НАТО, Альянс, позаблоковий статус, армія, геополітика

Researched the legal nature of NATO as a military-political alliance in order to study the question of Ukraine’s accession to the international intergovernmental organization. There are advantages and disadvantages of Ukraine’s accession to NATO on an analysis of legislative and doctrinal materials

Keywords: NATO, Alliance, a non-aligned status, army, geopolitics

Nowadays there is a problematic issue of Ukraine’s entering to NATO despite the fact that non-aligned status was withdrawn. Taking into account external factors and conditions of the entry leads to the fact of ascertain the usefulness of such membership.

Analysis of recent research presented by scientists such as Vovkotrub Y., Dolharyeva A., Lysenko A., Paly O., Ponomar O., Pukhalsky J., Semchynskyy K.  The main directions of Ukrainian geopolitics outlined in their papers. Researching as for Atlantic integration of Ukraine is impossible without the ideas of  Western classics and contemporary geopolitics politicians and scientists. Particular, the work of  I. Valerstayna, R. Kellen, G. Mayer, H. Mackinder, A. Mahan, N. Spaykmen,    W. Sherman and others.

Due to the lack of awareness as for the ascendantsion of our country to the military-political union we should study the possible membership. There are many articles about relations between Ukraine and NATO, but no critical assessment just the objectification of facts.

Target: find out the advantages and disadvantages of Ukraine’s accession to NATO

The main material research. Ukraine is a member of more than 40 intergovernmental and non-governmental international organizations. Membership in each of these organizations is a valuable experience and a wide range of possibilities for realization of  our potential. Certainly, any action related to international issues is a major step for the state and it has not always uniform interpretation. Due to recent events in our country and the discussion of EU accession, there are allegations that NATO accession will speed up an accession to the EU. However, there is no legislation that would facilitate NATO member states join to the EU. Another illusory issue in our state is the solution of social problems in the Ukrainian army which is a requirement of  NATO [1]. Although the war in the East destabilize the state army, so this issue will not resolve in the short term.

According to the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, NATO membership will cost each citizen of Ukraine 4-5 hryvnia per year, no more than the membership in other international organizations.

However, there are the other moment. By the standards of NATO spending for defense should be at least 2% of GDP per year. According to Ukrainian standards we spend for defense about 3% of GDP per year. However, the director of the Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Sergei Zhurets claims that the cost is significantly less − about 1.3% of GDP per year [2].

To specify all “for” and “against” joining to NATO highlight the following:

Benefits:

1) entry into NATO will improve the living standards of Ukrainian citizens as it meets the standards inherent for all members of the Alliance. Those countries which join the Alliance have an opportunity to defend their national interests, territorial integrity and sovereignty, given a new impetus to the development and formation of modern standards in his life [3, P. 59];

2) modernization of the Armed Forces based on new technologies accelerating their transformation;

3) after joining the Alliance Ukraine will take active part in the processes of decision-making on the further development of  European and Euro-Atlantic security not only concern the interests of national security of Ukraine and NATO but also form the modern environment of  Euro-Atlantic security, including the security of Ukraine    [4, P. 26];

4) Ukraine’s entry into NATO will improve the country’s investment attractiveness in the eyes of international investors;

5) providing security guarantees under which an attack on Ukraine means an attack on all members of Allies;

As a result of joining NATO our country will strengthen their political independence and protection from external interference in Ukraine’s internal affairs under the Internal Security Alliance standards [5, P. 5-6].

The disadvantages are:

1) a large amount of annual membership contributions to the NATO budget              [6, P. 94];

2) an increase in defense’s spending in the country;

3) Ukraine will be obliged to provide assistance to other States in the event of an armed attack but it is one of the duties of States Parties. Such obligations relate to each of the 28 Member States that promote solidarity in addressing military clashes;

4) membership in NATO will likely require changes to the Constitution of  Ukraine in the part concerning foreign military base in Ukraine and conditions of use of military force in our state;

5) NATO’s membership implies adherence to the collective nuclear planning in the so-called extended nuclear deterrence NATO. Allies, as recorded in paragraphs 62 and 63 of its Strategic Concept, must recognize the fundamental role of nuclear weapons in ensuring the overall safety and participate in the distribution of nuclear roles. Any compulsory participation in preparation for operations using nuclear weapons or placing it in its territory do not require (though it is fundamentally not excluded). However, the fact that the need to recognize the fundamental role of nuclear weapons, though a stranger’, to ensure their security can excite collective consciousness of Ukrainians in which has not erased the memory of its own nuclear disarmament. [7]

6) a limitation of autonomy in making key decisions in foreign and defense policy. Based on proven technologies, Ukraine in any direction of domestic and foreign policy will be unable to make independent steps. NATO has always dictate its own terms to Ukraine because of significant differences in geopolitical interests. Otherwise it will wait the sad experience of Yugoslavia;

7) further promoting NATO’s eastward improve strategic relations between the alliance and Poland. Ukraine will receive the role of buffer formation [8];

8) it is clear that even Ukraine’s membership in NATO will not provide her security. Conflict of Greece and Turkey is great confirmation;

9) joining to NATO means the new opportunities for competitive defense’s industries. From joining to NATO is not lost high-tech defense systems in Slovakia and won the high-tech, primarily in Poland, partly in the Czech Republic.

Conclusions. The changes that may occur in the future with our entry is really significant and to some extent necessary. NATO’s membership is a motivating factor in the political, economic, military, social aspects. Ukraine will receive additional guarantees security, territorial integrity, inviolability of formation of proper democratic standards. However, to decide about entry to any association or coalition Ukraine must do the following:

– develop an independent foreign policy strategy that would be based on national interests and be consistent with the context of the current geopolitical and geo-economic balance of power in the world;

– significantly accelerate the reform and strengthening of democratic principles;

– more fully, efficiently and powerfully using of all available domestic capacity and establishing appropriate and most independent position in economic allocation of productive forces;

– the definition of a particular circle fundamentally important for Ukraine partners, cooperation with which has played a catalytic role to economic development.

 

REFERENCES

 

[1]. Disadvantages of NATO Membership : [Electronic resource]. – Access : http://politiko.ua/blogpost2724.

[2]. Ukraine and NATO. Myths and reality : [Electronic resource]. – Access : http://nbnews.com.ua/tema/28625/.

[3]. Soskin VI Accession to NATO – a strategic choice of Ukraine. − K .: Izd “Institute of Society Transformation”, 2008. − 117 p.

[4]. O. Bilous, Dotsyak I., Klimonchuk V., L. Nykyruy All of NATO. − F .: I-CGP them. Stefanik, 2007. − 215 p.

[5]. Alexander Paly. Accession to NATO: 20 to 6 in favor of Ukraine // Ukrainian Pravda. − 2006. − № 7. − P. 5-6.

[6]. NATO Handbook. − Brussels, Office of Information and Press, 2001. − 124 p.

[7]. What are the cons of NATO membership for Ukraine? : [Electronic resource]. – Access : http://svatovo.ws/stati_uk_nato_minus.html.

[8]. Positive and negative consequences of Ukraine’s accession to NATO : [Electronic resource]. – Access : http://www.rusnauka.com/15_NPN_2009/ Politologia / 46516.doc.htm.