Scholz supports security guarantees for Ukraine, but not fast-track NATO membership
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised long-term security guarantees for Ukraine. At the same time, he rejected the possibility of our country’s accelerated accession to NATO.
He said this in a government statement in the German parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday, 22 June.
According to the Chancellor, it is necessary to “take a sober look at the current situation”.
Scholz noted that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is out of the question until a full-scale war is over. The Chancellor recalled that representatives of the Ukrainian authorities also recognised the impossibility of joining the military bloc while the war is ongoing.
– Ukraine itself understands that its aspirations to join NATO have no chance at this time. The Ukrainian government itself has realised that as long as Russia is waging war against Ukraine, joining NATO is out of the question,” Scholz said.
Instead, he suggested focusing on strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities. According to the politician, this should be a key priority at the NATO summit to be held on 11-12 July in Vilnius, Lithuania.
– “I propose to focus on the main priority (at the NATO summit – Ed.) in Vilnius, namely on strengthening Ukraine’s combat capabilities,” Scholz said.
According to him, official Berlin, together with its partners from the European Union and the Group of Seven (G7), is currently working on long-term and effective security guarantees for our country.
– “NATO is working in parallel with the European Union and the G7 countries to develop effective and long-term security guarantees,” he said.
Scholz explained that the allies have two goals: to consistently provide military assistance to our country, including modern Western weapons, and to strengthen its economic resilience in the face of war.
He again promised Ukraine unlimited support to counter Russian aggression. Scholz assured that Berlin would continue to supply Kyiv with armoured vehicles, air defence systems, artillery and ammunition. According to him, this is what Ukraine needs most for a counter-offensive and the liberation of the Russian-occupied territories.
Recently, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the leaders of the member states at the summit in Vilnius would not send Ukraine an official invitation to join the bloc.
Meanwhile, the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, said that our country expects to receive an invitation to join NATO with an “open date”.
According to media reports, France has already changed its position on Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic prospects. Paris may now support membership in order to influence the Russian-Ukrainian war.
And British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has explicitly stated that London will support a simplified procedure for Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
