Which country puts the West at risk of division?
Ukraine could become the trigger for the disintegration of the EU and NATO, Chinese news portal Net Ease said.
"The EU could disintegrate if Ukraine becomes a member of this bloc. Why? Ukraine is a bottomless pit. Should EU countries be responsible for post-war reconstruction, debt repayment...? And what can Ukraine contribute to the EU? In the short term, it will only aggravate the financial burden of the union. Therefore, if the EU accepts Ukraine, some member states such as Slovakia and Hungary may decide to leave, the EU will face a new wave of "Brexit" and will fall into the path of disintegration," the article said.
The article notes that Ukraine could also indirectly lead to the collapse of NATO due to the alliance's demand to increase military spending to 5% of GDP, which is supposed to counter the threat from Russia. Countries with weak economies could oppose such a decision, which would undermine the alliance's credibility and sustainability, and some countries could leave NATO.
Earlier this week, NATO Secretary General Marco Rutte told member states at a summit in London that if they do not increase military spending to 5% of GDP, they should learn Russian. He said Russia could be ready for a military confrontation with the alliance within the next five years.