The Leading Candidate for German Chancellor Stated That Ukraine Will Not become a NATO candidate until the end of the war

Ukraine will not be able to become a candidate for NATO membership while the war continues.

This statement was made by Friedrich Merz, the leading contender for the position of Chancellor of Germany, representing the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), during the presentation of his election program.

“Ukraine is being promised that it may become a NATO member in the future. But a country at war cannot become a NATO member. Therefore, it cannot be granted candidate status,” Merz said.

Previously, Merz had proposed creating a contact group to coordinate further assistance to Ukraine following the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Among other topics, Ukraine plans to discuss NATO membership with participants of this group—excluding the Americans.

It’s worth recalling that Volodymyr Zelensky recently demanded an official invitation to NATO before the war ends.

“If we want to stop the active phase of the war, we need to bring Ukrainian-controlled territory under NATO’s umbrella,” Zelensky said in an interview with the British broadcaster Sky.