Volu m e II - Purdue University Calumet

It is relatively clear that neither Ukraine nor Georgia will become a member of NATO anytime
soon, which eases some of the tension with Russia, without NATO appearing to give in to Russia’s demands
and may provide time to convince Russia that NATO expansion is not threatening. In the 2010 Ukrainian
election, Viktor Yanukovych became president and he is pursuing a relatively pro-Russian foreign policy
and has said that Ukraine will pursue a non-aligned position in terms of NATO membership (Vahabov 299).
Additionally, there is little support for NATO membership within Ukraine. In a poll conducted in the
summer of 2008 by the Fund for Public Opinion, “55 percent of Ukrainian respondents were against
NATO membership, and only 22 percent in favor” (Lazarevic 48). Georgia’s prospects of joining NATO
soon are also tenuous due to a relatively unstable political situation and a lack of territorial integrity which is
required in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (Lazarevic 55). While it should be made clear that Russia
does not have veto power against NATO enlargement, technical and political limitations that will prevent
Ukraine and Georgia from becoming NATO member states in the short term alleviates some of the tension
with Russia for now, making this an opportune time for reengagement.
President Obama’s Policy toward Russia
Since coming into office in 2009, President Obama has made a substantial effort toward revitalizing
and deepening U.S. relations with Russia. Upon the creation of the U.S.-Russian Bilateral Presidential
Commission (B.P.C.), President Obama said, “Too often, the United States and Russia only communicate
on a narrow range of issues, or let old habits within our bureaucracy state in the way of progress” (“U.S. -
Russian Bilateral…”). Obama and Medvedev established the B.P.C. in July of 2009. The B.P.C. has 13
working groups that focuses on “identifying areas of cooperation and pursuing joint projects and actions that
strengthen strategic stability, international security, economic well-being, and the development of ties
between the Russian and American people” ("U.S. - Russian Bilateral…”). In addition, the work conducted
by this commission is to be “based on the core principles of friendship, cooperation, openness, and
predictability, and we are resolved to address disagreements openly and honestly in a spirit of mutual
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