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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ruled out Ukraine’s accession to NATO in the near future, as the U.S. has rejected this proposal.
This was discussed during a televised debate between Scholz and Friedrich Merz, the CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor, as reported by DW.
When asked whether Ukraine should join NATO, Merz stated, “They cannot do that.”
“Because NATO does not accept members that are at war,” he explained.
At the same time, the German chancellor candidate said that granting Ukraine EU candidate status was “the right decision” and noted that joining the European Union would provide Ukraine with “much greater security.” However, he did not mention Ukraine’s prospects for NATO membership after the war ends.
Scholz, for his part, stated that Ukraine’s NATO membership “will not happen anytime soon” because the U.S. has rejected the proposal.
“Ukraine should join NATO, but at the moment, it cannot do so because NATO does not have member states that are at war,” he said.
Both Scholz and Merz expressed hope for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine following Donald Trump’s return to power in the U.S.
The German chancellor said it remains “uncertain” whether peace in Ukraine can be achieved after Trump’s inauguration.
“It would be very good if this war ended,” he added.
On January 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Trump could influence whether Ukraine joins NATO.
“It all depends on the U.S. If Trump is ready to see Ukraine in NATO, we will be in NATO, and everyone will support it. If President Trump is not ready to see us in NATO, we will not be in NATO,” he said at the time.
Meanwhile, Trump himself has said he “can understand Russia’s feelings” regarding the previous U.S. administration’s declared support for Ukraine’s NATO membership.
Candidates for the post of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz confirmed further support for Ukraine, but ruled out its accession to NATO in the near future:
- Scholz said that Germany remains Ukraine’s largest partner in Europe and will continue to provide assistance. However, he opposed the transfer of long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv, citing the risk of escalating the war.
- Merz, on the contrary, supported the transfer of Taurus to Ukraine in coordination with the EU, and stressed that Russia poses a long-term threat.
- The politicians also disagreed on migration policy. Scholz criticized Merz’s proposals to tighten the regime.
- Merz said that Germany has been in recession for the third year in a row, and unemployment is rising. Scholz highlighted the progress made in developing renewable energy.
Read also: EU partners may fund Ukraine programs previously supported by USAID – Stefanishyna
