In his 1997 book "The Grand Chessboard," Zbigniew Brzezinski argued that a key strategic imperative for the United States was to prevent Russia from
becoming a unified and powerful Eurasian empire.
You can find the book in PDF format here:
https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/BD/BD4CE651B07CCB8CB069F9999F0EADEE_Zbigniew_Brzezinski_-_The_Grand_ChessBoard.pdf
One of the arguments presented in the book focuses on Ukraine. The author contends that Ukraine is crucial to the resurgence of a powerful Russia, and therefore, bringing Ukraine into NATO is essential to ensure that Russia cannot re-emerge as a dominant force.
"If Moscow regains control over Ukraine, with its 52 million people and
major resources as well as its access to the Black Sea, Russia
automatically again regains the wherewithal to become a powerful
imperial state, spanning Europe and Asia. Ukraine's loss of
independence would have immediate consequences for Central
Europe, transforming Poland into the geopolitical pivot on the eastern
frontier of a united Europe." (Page 46).
"How far eastward should the European Union extend? And
should the eastern limits of the EU be synonymous with the eastern
front line of NATO? The former is more a matter for a European
decision, but a European decision on that issue will have direct
implications for a NATO decision. The latter, however, engages the
United States, and the U.S. voice in NATO is still decisive. Given the
growing consensus regarding the desirability of admitting the nations
of Central Europe into both the EU and NATO, the practical meaning of this question focuses attention on the future status of the Baltic republics and perhaps also that of Ukraine" (page 50)
"Nonetheless, after the first three new NATO members have also joined
the EU, both the EU and NATO will have to address the question of
extending membership to the Baltic republics, Slovenia, Romania,
Bulgaria, and Slovakia, and perhaps also, eventually, to Ukraine." (Page 82)
You can find the book in PDF format here:
https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/BD/BD4CE651B07CCB8CB069F9999F0EADEE_Zbigniew_Brzezinski_-_The_Grand_ChessBoard.pdf
One of the arguments presented in the book focuses on Ukraine. The author contends that Ukraine is crucial to the resurgence of a powerful Russia, and therefore, bringing Ukraine into NATO is essential to ensure that Russia cannot re-emerge as a dominant force.
"If Moscow regains control over Ukraine, with its 52 million people and
major resources as well as its access to the Black Sea, Russia
automatically again regains the wherewithal to become a powerful
imperial state, spanning Europe and Asia. Ukraine's loss of
independence would have immediate consequences for Central
Europe, transforming Poland into the geopolitical pivot on the eastern
frontier of a united Europe." (Page 46).
"How far eastward should the European Union extend? And
should the eastern limits of the EU be synonymous with the eastern
front line of NATO? The former is more a matter for a European
decision, but a European decision on that issue will have direct
implications for a NATO decision. The latter, however, engages the
United States, and the U.S. voice in NATO is still decisive. Given the
growing consensus regarding the desirability of admitting the nations
of Central Europe into both the EU and NATO, the practical meaning of this question focuses attention on the future status of the Baltic republics and perhaps also that of Ukraine" (page 50)
"Nonetheless, after the first three new NATO members have also joined
the EU, both the EU and NATO will have to address the question of
extending membership to the Baltic republics, Slovenia, Romania,
Bulgaria, and Slovakia, and perhaps also, eventually, to Ukraine." (Page 82)
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