Slovenia is hesitant about Ukraine’s membership in NATO – EURACTIV.com
Slovenia did not join the statement of the nine Eastern European members of NATO on support for Ukraine’s membership in the alliance and has reservations due to the associated risks, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said on Tuesday.
Ukraine applied for NATO membership on Friday, requesting a fast-track process that is currently not possible in accession processes. The statement of support for the application was signed by some nine countries, mainly Eastern European and Balkan countries, but Ljubljana’s name was not among them.
“If NATO were to make a decision to accept Ukraine as a member, it could be a clear declaration of the beginning of war,” she said about Slovenia’s possible support for Ukraine’s request to join NATO.
She said the war in Ukraine was escalating over concerns that Russia might use tactical nuclear weapons. “This escalation and, as a result, Ukraine’s request or Ukraine’s talks on NATO membership are a cause for serious concern,” she said.
If NATO were to consider accepting Ukraine, it would mean a great security risk, so according to Fajon, a serious discussion is needed in the country about “where such a situation leads”, since Slovenia advocates a policy of peace, dialogue and any such decisions. -crafting leads to escalation.
When asked whether talks on this issue are taking place in Slovenia, Fajonova replied that talks are indeed taking place in the government and parliament, and foreign policy stakeholders will “sit down together this week and discuss several open issues related to Russia and the escalation of the war in Ukraine.”
(Sebastijan R. Maček | sta.si)