NATO Uses Ukraine as a 'Battlefield' to Test Their Weapons, Train Personnel

© Sputnik / Go to the mediabankUkraine's National Guard soldiers during combat training developed by NATO at a training ground in the Zolochevsky District, Lviv Region.
Ukraine's National Guard soldiers during combat training developed by NATO at a training ground in the Zolochevsky District, Lviv Region. - Sputnik International
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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that Kiev is not going to apply for NATO membership just yet. In an interview with Radio Sputnik, political scientist Semyon Uralov said that Ukraine is unlikely to join the alliance in the foreseeable future.

According to Uralov, such scenario is unlikely to take place for several reasons.

"I don't think that this will happen. The history of Ukraine's relations with NATO has been dragging on for a very long time. There was a lot of speculation regarding this issue, especially during the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko. Moreover, the Americans already have access to everything they need in Ukraine. They don't even need Ukraine's accession to NATO — it won't significantly change anything… I don't think there will be any accession — no one needs this," Uralov said.

According to Uralov, NATO countries need Ukraine in its current state in order to use it as "an instrument of economic and political struggle," as well as "a tool of constant provocations towards Russia."

"They will further use this tool. For NATO countries, Ukraine is an excellent ‘battlefield,' where they can test new weapons and train their personnel," Uralov stated.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko attend a joint news conference following a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Kiev, Ukraine, July 10, 2017. - Sputnik International
Ukraine's Rapprochement With NATO Not to Strengthen Security in Europe - Kremlin
On Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that Kiev won't apply for NATO membership yet because the country still has to introduce a number of reforms in order to meet the membership requirements.

We are looking forward to reforms and have a clear schedule for what we have to do until 2020 in order to meet the membership criteria, because as of today we do not meet these criteria, since nothing has been done in these 20 years," Poroshenko said.

Poroshenko also expressed belief that jointly with NATO Kiev could build an "independent, stable and strong country."

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