German Chancellor: Germany must ensure war in Ukraine doesn’t spread to NATO
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday that it’s Germany’s responsibility to ensure that the war between Russia and Ukraine doesn’t turn into a war between Russia and NATO, stressing his position against sending long-range weapons to Kiev.
Following the EU summit in Brussels, Scholz expressed his rejection of key points in the “victory plan” presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, due to fears of future escalation.
Zelensky presented the “Victory Plan” during the meeting, and Scholz again called for sending Taurus cruise missiles.
The Ukrainian leader believes that the presence of a deterrent missile arsenal can force Russia to enter into peace negotiations.
Scholz also reiterated his position against a quick invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, as envisioned in Zelensky’s plan.
On the other hand, the United States also opposes Kiev’s rapid accession to the alliance.
The German chancellor referred to the decisions of the recent NATO summit in Washington, which provide Ukraine with a general guarantee that its path to joining the defense alliance cannot be stopped, but said all allies must agree that the conditions required by the alliance for an invitation have been met.
These conditions include reforms in the areas of democracy, the economy and the security sector.
