Covering the journey of the Atlantic Alliance in such a short time is almost impossible, although Javier Solana has managed to explain it perfectly, especially its relationship with Ukraine. Starting with the Belavezha Agreement in 1991 and the meeting that took place in Belarus between the presidents of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, which marked the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of these countries as sovereign states.

Years later, the Budapest Memorandum would be signed, through which Ukraine agreed to give up nuclear weapons and disarm. From this agreement, Javier Solana highlights what the other nuclear powers of the time offered to Ukraine, which can be summarized in three aspects: recognition as a sovereign country, ensuring its borders, and defense by these powers in case of an attack on Ukraine.

Javier Solana emphasizes the events that took place in the international community from that point onward. Among them is the NATO Summit in Spain in 1997, where a council was created between NATO and Russia, believing that this was the beginning of a potential relationship between the Atlantic Alliance and Russia. He also mentions the shift in the international paradigm with the entry into the 21st century and the 9/11 attacks. His review extends until 2004 and the elections in Ukraine. It is during this year that the first difficulty arises between Putin and Ukraine, which stretches until 2014, when the Euromaidan protests take place in Ukraine, and the war begins. Javier Solana then poses the following question: “Did we react well to the Crimea issue? Could more have been done? Indeed, not enough was done…”

As an assessment of the current crisis, Solana emphasizes that the European Union’s role has been flawless, both in sanctions and in the reception of refugees. The United States does not present the same strong leadership as in previous times, and China must face economic issues and the pandemic. Regarding Russia, with the future accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, it has suffered a heavy blow as the country is increasingly surrounded by NATO member states.

To conclude, Javier Solana stresses the importance of achieving a ceasefire to facilitate subsequent negotiations. The world is much more complex than it used to be, and it is imperative to maintain globalization, which is increasingly in decline. «We should not believe that we continue to be the beacon that lights the world. Right now, the world is more complex, where there is no single power that dominates. We must adapt to the situation in which we can live.»

Judit Anidjar

Communication Assistant, INCIPE