According to the chancellor, Western security guarantees will not reach the "mutual protection" stipulated in Article 5 of the NATO treaty.
"Western countries are ready to protect the future of Ukraine with security guarantees, but they cannot guarantee a level of protection similar to that of the NATO military alliance," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
For Ukraine, however, Scholz's comments sound particularly disheartening, as it was Germany and France that opposed the Eastern European country's NATO membership in 2008. Volodymyr Zelensky argued in March that Russia would not have attacked his country if it had been a NATO member, reports Politico.
Scholz's comments therefore indicate that Ukraine cannot count on NATO's direct military support in the future either. NATO countries supported Kiev indirectly by sending tanks, artillery and other weapons, but were careful not to get directly involved in the war.
The chancellor also suggested that the West should continue to apply "highly effective sanctions" against Russia - which may be lifted or eased if Russia agrees to a reasonable peace deal with Ukraine - and restore restrictive measures if "violations ” the peace treaty.
2022plus: We would be delighted if the German chancellor would reveal what makes the sanctions "extremely effective"? Somehow it doesn't seem like they are…
Source: Mandarin
