Representatives of 60 world universities sign letter calling not to invite Ukraine to join NATO

The Guardian has reported.

The letter reads: "If Ukraine were to join Nato, Russia would have reason to doubt the credibility of Nato’s security guarantee – and would gain an opportunity to test and potentially rupture the alliance. The result could be a direct Nato-Russia war or the unraveling of Nato itself."

At the same time, the authors of the letter believe that the idea that Ukraine's accession to NATO could deter Russia from invading again is "wishful thinking".

According to the signatories, "The challenges Russia poses can be managed without bringing Ukraine into Nato."

"Moving Ukraine toward membership in the alliance could make the problem worse, turning Ukraine into the site of a prolonged showdown between the world’s two leading nuclear powers and playing into Vladimir Putin’s narrative that he is fighting the west in Ukraine rather than the people of Ukraine."

"Admitting Ukraine would reduce the security of the United States and Nato allies, at considerable risk to all", the letter says.

What is known about the NATO summit

The New York Times reported that NATO would announce the launch of a mission to help Ukraine at the summit in the United States. The NYT noted that Ukraine will not start membership talks at the upcoming NATO summit, but the Alliance will announce a structure to coordinate assistance in the long term.

On July 5, US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said that during the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, the allies would raise the issue of strengthening Ukraine's air defense and integrating the country into the Alliance.

On July 9, media reported that the draft joint communiqué of the North Atlantic Alliance calls Ukraine's path to NATO membership "irreversible".