DISINFO: West to use Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine against Russia without joining NATO
SUMMARY
The West will be using the Association Trio, which consists of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, against Russia. It is possible to use these countries against Russia without admitting them to NATO. That is what the West will do.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, claiming that NATO is an aggressive bloc that is using neighbouring countries against Russia. In reality, NATO is a military and political bloc of a defensive nature.
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, which comprise the Association Trio, have long been aspiring to join the Alliance for their own protection. The foreign ministers of these three nations signed a document in May 2021, which provided for enhanced co-operation between them on their path to Euro-Atlantic integration. This format is known as the Association Trio. However, this format does not mean that they will not join NATO. These countries still have to complete reforms and make structural changes to meet the necessary requirements for membership.
These three nations’ desire to join NATO is caused by Moscow’s aggression against each of them as Russia is occupying Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the Transnistria region of Moldova, and Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and a part of Donbas. However, NATO does not intend to use these three countries or any other states against Russia. The Alliance’s main objective is to defend its members rather than engaging in unprovoked attacks on anyone. The issue of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine's future membership in NATO does not depend on Russia's acceptance or refusal of this fact. The NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997 does not diminish the political or military effectiveness of the Alliance in any way, including its ability to meet its security commitment to current and future members.
NATO is posing no threat to Russia. The Alliance’s military exercises in the vicinity of Russia’s borders are not provocative, although Russia is always perceiving them as such. The fact that non-members take part in joint military exercises, like this year’s Sea Breeze war games of which Ukraine was a co-host, does not mean that these drills were aimed against Russia. These exercises were to enhance the defence capabilities of the participating countries as Russia was ostentatiously building up its military along Ukraine’s border. Moscow has been beefing up arms production over the recent years, which requires an adequate response from NATO and its partners.
See more disinformation cases about relations between NATO and Russia.