Friedrich Merz, the likely next Chancellor of Germany, has stated that Ukraine cannot join the European Union or NATO while the country remains at war. His comments came during an interview with Handelsblatt.
Merz emphasized that while Ukraine’s aspirations to join both organizations are still recognized, active conflict is a barrier to formal membership.
“Ukraine is a very large European country, but it is a European country that is at war. And a country that is at war cannot become a member of either NATO or the European Union,” said Merz, who is expected to take office in early May.
He also cautioned against assuming Russia’s strength will wane anytime soon. “The ruthless exhaustion of people has always been part of Russian policy,” he said.
Because of this, Merz believes it is unlikely that “the war will resolve itself through the country’s depletion or through political reactions against the regime.”
