“Best scenario - Ukraine and Georgia join NATO after comprehensive MAP reforms" - NISS Director took part in discussion with NATO High Level Expert Group

On 8 September 2020, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Japarova and Director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies Oleksandr Lytvynenko took part in a consultation of the NATO High Level Expert Group with Ukraine and Georgia as part of the NATO reflection process. The Georgian side was represented by First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vakhtang Maharoblishvili and Chief of Staff of the Georgia’s National Security Council Kakhaber Kemoklidze. The event was held in the format of a video conference.

The participants of the event, in particular, discussed the following issues:

  • a vision of Russia's impact in the Black Sea Region (BSR) by 2030 and a possible NATO response;
  • Ukraine's and Georgia's plans to develop relations with NATO;
  • the growing role of China in the BSR;
  • strengthening resistance to growing hybrid threats.

The vision of the National Institute for Strategic Studies on these issues is presented in the presentation

For reference: In December 2019, NATO leaders called on the Secretary General of NATO to begin an analytical process to strengthen the Alliance's political dimension. To this end, a group of ten experts was set up, headed by A.Wess Mitchell, an American foreign policy expert, Deputy Chairman of the Center for European Policy Analysis, and Thomas de Maizière, former Minister of the Internal Affairs and Minister of Defense of Germany. The group has launched appropriate consultations with NATO member and partner countries, Euro-Atlantic security experts and opinion leaders. The Secretary General will present the recommendations developed by the experts for consideration by the leaders of NATO member states during their meeting in 2021.