The diplomat linked this to the fact that Germany “bears a special historical responsibility for Nazi crimes against the Ukrainian people”
Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk believes that it is Berlin that should help Kiev become part of NATO. He said this in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, which was published on Sunday.
According to him, Germany should “take the lead in making sure that Ukraine becomes a member of NATO”.
“And as soon as possible, without any reservations”, – he said. The ambassador linked this to the fact that Germany “bears a special historical responsibility for the Nazi crimes against the Ukrainian people”.
Johan Wadeful, deputy chairman of the Christian Democratic Union parliamentary faction, spoke against it.
“What is needed now is de-escalation. Therefore, it is clear that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is obviously not on the agenda”, – he said.
The North Atlantic Alliance adopted a political declaration at the Bucharest summit in April 2008 that “Ukraine and Georgia will eventually become members of NATO”, but refused to provide both countries with Membership Action Plans, the first step in the legal procedure for a country to join the organisation. In February 2019, the Verkhovna Rada approved constitutional amendments enshrining Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO with language on the “irreversibility of the Euro-Atlantic path”.
Ensuring that Ukraine’s Armed Forces are fully compatible with the armies of NATO countries by 2020 is enshrined in the country’s new military doctrine adopted in 2015. Ukraine had previously been granted NATO partner status with enhanced capabilities. In an interview with Le Figaro on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski said “the time has come” to invite Ukraine into NATO and the EU.