Ex-US Defense Chief Gates Says Significant Opposition Remains for Ukraine Joining NATO

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2023) Former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said in an interview that there is still significant opposition in Europe toward Ukraine's accession to NATO and in the United States as well.

"I think there remains significant opposition in Europe to Ukraine joining NATO, and I suspect there would be in the United States Senate as well, because people need to remember, at root, NATO is a military alliance," The Washington Post cited Gates as saying during an interview on Wednesday.

Gates believes that Europeans are not ready to send their own sons and daughters to fight in Ukraine for Ukraine, should Kiev become a member of the military alliance.

When asked about Ukraine's chances of regaining Crimea, which became part of Russia as a result of a referendum in 2014, the former official replied that it would be a "challenging problem," since Crimea is extremely important for Russia and an attempt by Kiev to seize it would be a "real red line" for Moscow.

NATO allies promised Ukraine and Georgia back in 2008 that they would one day join the military alliance but said neither was ready to be admitted immediately.�