Behind Enemy Lines
Striker
You know exactly what I'm saying. Who are Russia, or anyone, to say what Ukraine can or cannot do? Why do you wish to deny autonomy to the Ukrainian state and want to use it as a pawn to appease Russia?
Because that's how the world works in reality. Henry Kissinger — 'America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests'.
Imagine getting Ukraine's application to join NATO:
Pros: ???
Cons: Will probably cause war with Russia leading to thousands of deaths and possible escalation as far as a nuclear conflict (and this isn't hindsight, people have been predicting this for years).
Play your cards right and Ukraine becomes a stable, neutral country acting as a buffer between NATO and Russia and you strengthen relations with Russia. And if Russia did invade a neutral Ukraine that was not going to join NATO (which it would have no reason to) then you haven't really lost anything, we'd still be in the same situation we are now.