Friedrich Merz. Photo credit: UWE Koch / Imago Stock & People / Profimedia
The new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Brussels on Friday that he has no hope that Ukraine will join NATO in the near future, reports DPA and Agerpres.
The head of the German government is visiting in Brussels for the first time since taking over this week, for discussions with the highest level officials of the EU and NATO.
Following the invasion of Russia, Kiev asked for accession to the European Union and asked NATO allies to invite Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Alliance.
NATO agreed last year with a potential accession of Ukraine in the future, without establishing once, but the Donald Trump administration later excluded such a possibility. NATO allies must agree unanimously on the admission of new members.
“Ukraine has the prospect of joining the European Union,” Merz said, in the presence of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Experts say that Ukraine will be prepared to adhere to the European Union at the earliest 2030.
“This will definitely happen before joining NATO, if it is materialized one day,” Merz added.
The German Chancellor stressed that accession to NATO or EU must be a free decision of Kiev.
“Ukraine is and must remain sovereign in deciding on its belonging to political and military alliances,” he said.
“If Russia does not cooperate, we will increase the pressure of sanctions”
Friedrich Merz also supported the proposal of US President Donald Trump on a 30 -day armistice in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
“Russia is now asked to finally accept a longer armistice, which must leave room for an authentic peace agreement,” Merz said after a meeting with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa.
Merz also warned additional sanctions if Russia does not cooperate.
“If this did not happen, we will not hesitate, together with our European partners and the United States, to continue to increase the pressure of sanctions,” he said.
Merz also discussed in the capital of Belgium, with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von Der Leyen, with the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The new German Chancellor discussed Trump on the phone for the first time on Thursday evening, two days after taking over the mandate.
He said that several European states, including Germany, France, Poland and the United Kingdom, want to support Trump's initiative in a common statement.
