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What did NATO's June 2019 signals mean for Kyiv?
Summary
A look back at two reports from 24 and 26 June 2019 that framed Ukraine's NATO ties and the alliance's internal arguments.
What did the days around 27 June 2019 reveal about Ukraine's place beside NATO? Two reports from that week point in different directions.
On 24 June 2019, Ukraine's 140th Special Operations Centre became the first unit from a country that is not a NATO member to be certified for inclusion in the NATO Response Force. The report presented it as a first for any such country's military unit.
Two days later, on 26 June 2019, US President Donald Trump said Germany was "delinquent" on NATO defence. He added that Germany was giving Russia billions of dollars while the United States was expected to protect it.
Two readings
The two reports do not connect directly, and it would be wrong to claim they do. Placed side by side, though, they show a contrast. A non-member's unit was gaining a formal place in an alliance mechanism. Meanwhile, the US president was publicly criticising a leading European member over its defence contribution.
For readers in Kyiv and elsewhere, the certification was a concrete, verifiable step. The remarks from Washington were a statement of grievance within the alliance. Which of the two would count for more later was not something either report could settle.
