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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will not consider making Ukraine a member of the alliance, announced German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“I also made it clear in Moscow and in my visit that this option [Ukraine’s membership of NATO] is not on the table and will not take place,” Scholz said during an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF on Friday.
“I said publicly that we all know that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not on the alliance’s agenda today,” he added. “That was understood by the American president, that [was] also understood by the French president.”
Scholz added that he clarified to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s that Ukraine won’t be allowed to join NATO due to his national security concerns that spurred Russia’s invasion the country.
“The Russians were worried about the control issue of their security. [Putin was worried] that NATO has a military setup and rockets in Ukraine targeting Russian territory. That is why we tried to make it clear that this will not occur,” he explained.
Additionally, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that the alliance would not establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine, warning that such a move could escalate into “full fledged war in Europe.”
“We are not part of this conflict…We have a responsibility as NATO allies to prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine because that would be even more dangerous, more devastating and would cause even more human suffering,” Stoltenberg said.
NATO has rejected a Ukraine no-fly zone: “We are not part of this.”
The secretary general Jens Stoltenberg tells a news conference NATO will not impose a “no fly zone” over Ukraine to avoid a “full fledged war in Europe”.#Ukraine #UkraineWar #NATO pic.twitter.com/vnFaR71bzM
— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) March 4, 2022
Putin reiterated Saturday that the establishment of a no-fly zone by a third-party would be considered “participation in the armed conflict.”
“That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are,” the Russian president warned.
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who was installed by the West in a Soros-funded color revolution in 2014, had signed an amendment in 2019 committing Ukraine to be member of NATO and the EU.
Putin had accused the U.S. and EU of “deceiving” Russia for decades over NATO’s expansion in a lengthy speech days after his invasion of Ukraine in February.
“In December 2021, we made yet another attempt to reach agreement with the United States and its allies on the principles of European security and NATO’s non-expansion,” Putin explained.
“Our efforts were in vain. The United States has not changed its position. It does not believe it necessary to agree with Russia on a matter that is critical for us. The United States is pursuing its own objectives, while neglecting our interests.”
Now that a key demand by Putin appears to have been met, it remains to be seen how he responds to this concession by NATO.
Currently, a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia aimed at evacuating civilians in Mariupol and Volnovakha has broken down.
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