Going East: An assessment of NATO enlargement to Ukraine and Georgia

In the wake of the Georgian conflict in August 2008 a heated debate about the necessity of further NATO enlargement has emerged. The prospects for Georgia and Ukraine of their candidacy being moved to the next stage is fading. In this essay I will outline the developments to date, present the arguments against and in favour of enlargement and argue that ultimately, despite its high-blown rhetoric, NATO is unlikely to grant Georgia and Ukraine membership in the near future.