Reuters: NATO Split Over Georgia’s Membership

Reuters publishes an article concerning Georgia’s hopes and the existing situation in NATO to grant Georgia membership.

“NATO allies are split over what message to send Georgia over its long-delayed membership bid, diplomats said, with some European capitals arguing the alliance would be unable to defend the ex-Soviet state in the event of a conflict with Russia,“ the publication reads.

According to Reuters, NATO gave Georgia an open-ended promise of membership at a summit in April 2008. “That fed into tensions with Moscow that four months later culminated in a war leaving the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia occupied by Russian military.”

“Talks about Georgia's NATO membership have largely been on the back-burner since. But the question will arise again next Tuesday when NATO foreign ministers decide whether to launch accession talks with tiny Montenegro -- an event at which they will be expected to give an update on Tbilisi's aspirations.”

Reuters says the United States sees expanding NATO as key to its strategy for dealing with Russia. “But as NATO nations seek Moscow's help to defeat Islamic State militants in Syria and to resolve the crisis in Ukraine, others argue for caution over enlargement, which Russia views as a direct threat to its security.”

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Photo: REUTERS/DAVID MDZINARISHVILI