Germany pledges security assurances to Kyiv but no swift NATO membership

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday (22 June) pledged long-term security assurances to Ukraine but dashed Kyiv’s hopes for a swift accession to NATO.

“Our goal is […] a sustainable military support of Ukraine, including with modern Western weapons, and the strengthening of Ukraine’s economic resilience as it defends itself against the Russian aggression,” Scholz told German lawmakers in a speech in parliament.

Berlin and its partners in the G7 and the European Union are working on long-term security assurances to Kyiv, he also said, acknowledging in public that talks are ongoing.

Kyiv’s Western partners have been squabbling over what to offer Ukraine when the military alliance’s leaders meet in Vilnius in mid-July.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been asking its partners for “security guarantees” and a concrete signal that its war-torn country will one day join the Western military alliance.

For Ukraine's NATO hopes, another vague pledge won’t do

Ukraine expects to get at least NATO security guarantees, rather than just another vague pledge about an ‘open door policy’, as Kyiv’s Western allies are preparing two key summits in support of the war-torn country.

NATO members agreed in their 2008 Bucharest declaration that Ukraine will one day join the alliance. But Kyiv, who formally applied in the autumn, hopes for a renewed commitment, and a timeline.

In the meantime, giving Ukraine the only “security guarantee” that exists – meaning protection under NATO’s umbrella – is out of the question while the war is still on.

Ukraine’s partners are therefore working on crafting “security assurances”. These would take the shape of long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine with military equipment, NATO diplomats told EURACTIV.

“To give ‘security guarantee’ to Ukraine means a long-term commitment of support […[. It’s nothing beyond that,” Mantas Adomėnas, deputy foreign minister of Lithuania also said on Tuesday at an event organised by Friends of Europe in Vilnius.

This move would give Ukraine enough military power and capacity to deter and defend against any further aggression, NATO diplomats hope.

Western allies' debate intensifes over form of Ukraine 'security guarantees'

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy upped the pressure on Western allies on Thursday (1 June) as the debate about what form of potential ‘security guarantees’ for Kyiv could take gained traction.

But when it comes to already thinking about Ukraine joining NATO, “we have to take a sober look at the current situation,” Scholz said.

“I suggest we focus on the top priority” for the NATO summit, “namely strengthening the combat power of Ukraine”, he added, repeating Germany’s position against any concrete backing to put Kyiv officially on the path to NATO.

Kyiv and its closest allies in Eastern Europe call for concrete steps with a “roadmap” to bring Ukraine closer to what they see as an eventual post-war membership.

But Western governments such as the United States and Germany are wary of any move that might take the alliance closer to war with Russia, hence refusing to map out any timeline for Kyiv’s accession to NATO.

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet / Alexandra Brzozowski]

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