Of the many foreign policy issues in 2022, two will be of particular geostrategic importance in the new year. Actually, we are talking about whether Ukraine's desire to become a NATO country will come true in the end and what to do with the Iranian regime on the issue of a nuclear agreement.

Wolfgang Ischinger, President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation, writes about this in an article for Politico.. He admits that the procedure for expanding the alliance is really complicated.. And Turkey's refusal to approve the membership of Sweden and Finland proves this.. We need not only the unanimity of the participating countries, but also the approval of each national parliament. Because the decision is tied to a formal international agreement. Therefore, according to Ischinger, in order to correctly respond to Ukraine's application to join NATO, one should recall the three criteria that were applied during the first round of the alliance's expansion in 1997..

At that time, the allies asked only three questions. First of all, is there a consensus in the country wishing to join NATO to join the alliance so that potential membership does not provoke an internal split? Do all allies support granting membership to this country? And will the accession of a new country strengthen European security and stability in general

“At that time, we recommended that presidents and heads of state invite prospective members only if the answers to all three questions are in the affirmative.. And in the case of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, all three questions received an unequivocal answer " When the question of Ukraine was raised at the NATO summit in Bucharest in 2008, a controversial discussion arose.. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy came to the conclusion that not all three questions can be answered in the affirmative,” Ischinger recalls, adding that looking back on those events today, one can draw the opposite conclusion, especially on the issue of European security and stability..

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Although not all Allied concerns were allayed. Perhaps this explains why the alliance is still hesitant about Ukraine's membership.. On the issue of Iran, the main challenge is whether to impose even tougher sanctions against the country or show restraint in response to ongoing human rights violations due to the West's interest in renewing the nuclear deal.. Ischinger believes that there is an unequivocal answer: \! He acknowledges that there are serious concerns about the protection of the international agreement on nuclear non-proliferation. However, most experts believe that the chances of a revival of the nuclear agreement with Tehran were zero even before protests erupted in Iran.. The Iranian side showed no desire to agree to the proposed draft agreement in its current form.

“Moreover, signing an agreement with Tehran now will send a completely wrong signal.. Because all concessions from the West may seem like support for the regime. It will be a slap in the face for the Iranians who are fighting for freedom, as well as for those who have already been thrown into prison,” Ischinger explains..

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That is why, in his opinion, the West should without a doubt introduce new sanctions against the Iranian regime..

Given the supply of Iranian drones to Russia, Tehran thus supports the genocidal war against Ukraine. And it's not acceptable.

“Therefore, it should be clear to Tehran that it is not only facing internal challenges, but will also face even greater international isolation,” the article says..

Ischinger adds that the Iran nuclear deal must remain on the table if the West is to stay true to its values.. However, he must also show the Iranian people that he will not be abandoned in a brave fight for freedom..