NATO should admit Ukraine into the military alliance "as soon as it is practical," former U.N. Ambassador and Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker told Newsmax.
"I think we have to make clear at the Vilnius [NATO] summit next week that Ukraine will become a member of NATO as soon as it is practical to do so," Volker told "Saturday Agenda." "NATO made a vague statement in 2008, 15 years ago, that Ukraine would be a member and did nothing about it, and that doing nothing actually is what tempted [Russian President] Vladimir Putin to think he could get away with invading Ukraine."
When the war there ends, it is important for the United States and NATO to make sure Ukraine is a member nation and its border with Russia is secure, so this never happens again, according to Volker.
"I think that [Turkish] President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is right: Ukraine is ready [ for NATO membership]," Volker said. "They have one of the toughest militaries in Europe. Now they're well-equipped. They're well-trained. They're experienced, and I think Europe will never be secure again the way it used to be unless Ukraine is now actually included [in NATO] as well."
Also, according to Volker, it is "about time" for the United States to send cluster bombs and other powerful weapons to Ukraine, like long-range artillery shells, to help them defend the country and defeat Russian troops.
"People who are concerned about cluster munitions are concerned that they can impact civilians because you have unexploded bomblets that can get picked up and do damage to civilians," he said. "That's a valid concern, but civilians are being killed by direct targeting Russian military forces every day in Ukraine. They're bombing Ukrainian cities, so the sooner we can end this war and help the Ukrainians end the war by pushing the Russians out, the better for the civilians of Ukraine."
The real war crimes taking place in Ukraine currently is the targeting of civilians by Russian forces striking maternity wards, hospitals, schools, and apartment buildings, Volker continued.
"These are the things that count as war crimes, which Russia is committing. Ukraine is using its military forces much more judiciously to go after the Russian military forces that are attacking from inside Ukraine, and to a lesser degree, their support bases inside Russia as well, but all of them are legitimate military targets."
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