BRUSSELS – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the Kyiv Post that the alliance is not considering additional steps to counter a new poll showing more Ukrainians view the alliance unfavorably than favorably.
“NATO provides strong political support for Ukraine and strong practical support for Ukraine. We support territorial integrity of Ukraine and we fully support the full implementation of the Minsk agreements to solve the crisis in eastern Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference at NATO headquarters, which on Feb. 15-16 is hosting a meeting of defense ministers from 28 member nations that don’t include Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian prime minister (Volodymyr Groysman) visited NATO last week. And I have regular meetings with President (Petro) Poroshenko and other representatives of the Ukrainian leadership. So we will continue to work, we will continue to provide support,” Stoltenberg continued. “ But Ukraine is a democratic society, with different views, different opinions and an open political debate. So that’s the fact that there different opinions about NATO. That’s part of an open and democratic debate, which is ongoing in Ukraine. We will be committed. We will stay strongly committed to Ukraine and to the partnership with Ukraine.”
Stoltenberg was responding to a Gallup survey, released on Feb. 10, of several nations taken in 2016. According to the findings, 35 percent of Ukrainians associate NATO with “threat” compared to 29 percent with “protection.”
Some have interpreted the results as showing that Ukrainians are fed up with Russia’s three-year war and are losing confidence in the West, specifically NATO, to help them end the war.
The poll results took many people by surprise. Other polls, cited by Poroshenko, have shown that 54 percent of Ukrainians support joining NATO. Poroshenko has recently said he wants to hold a referendum on the issue of membership.
Yehor Bozhok, Ukraine’s representative to NATO, told the Kyiv Post in a Feb. 15 interview that he disputes the results of the poll.
“I was surprised by this poll as well, I don’t think this poll reflects the real picture. It severely contradicts all other polls we have done recently. I cannot believe that overnight the attitude has changed so dramatically,” Bozhok said. “It should be monitored additionally by comparing various sources, analysis and polls. Only then can we can see the real picture.”
Bozhok’s impression is that fellow Ukrainians are “much more positive and view NATO more favorably. The necessity now is for the government and the NATO to ensure this is not only emotion.” The pro-NATO views of Ukrainians must translate into strong political and practical cooperation, he said.
Ukraine has been getting strong rhetorical support from NATO allies gathered in Brussels. Starting on Feb. 17, Ukrainians will also look for support at the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany, foreign and defense ministers will also gather.
While Stoltenberg outlined now new initiatives for Ukraine, saying NATO and Ukraine “have developed a strong partnership over the last years,” others in NATO said the Gallup poll shows the need for alliance to step up its practical support and public diplomacy involving Ukraine.
