Zelenskyy: Only US endorsement may sway Germany on NATO invitation for Ukraine

In comments to journalists on 21 October, embargoed until the next day, Zelenskyy indicated that while France, Britain, and Italy have shown support for Ukraine’s NATO membership, Germany remains skeptical, according to AP.

Amid the ongoing Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy recently unveiled his five-point “victory plan” to allies, which includes Ukraine’s invitation to NATO and removing restrictions on long-range strikes inside Russia with Western-supplied weapons. Germany doesn’t support both of these points.

Zelenskyy stated:

“The German side is skeptical about our NATO membership — that’s a fact,” he said, while noting their stance has softened compared to previous positions.

The Ukrainian president expressed hope for more positive reactions after the US election on 5 November, AP reports. Zelenskyy explained that current US caution stems from electoral considerations:

“The focus of the United States is now on the elections, and I believe that any sharp statements from the US today might be inappropriate or carry risks.”

Regarding his victory plan, AP reports Zelenskyy saying major partners are cautious during the election period due to potential Russian reactions.

“They understand that with this package, we can destroy them,” he stated.

The president dismissed media reports suggesting Ukraine might exchange occupied territories for NATO membership, though he noted such leaks might reflect some partners’ unexpressed thoughts.

According to AP, Zelenskyy outlined potential scenarios for reducing the war’s intensity, suggesting that agreements on halting attacks on energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping routes could signal the end of the war’s “hot phase,” though military target strikes and front-line fighting would continue.

The Ukrainian leader also emphasized his country’s commitment to non-nuclear status, explaining Ukraine’s NATO aspirations:

“We gave [the nuclear weapons] up, but we got nothing in return. And we only received a full-scale war and many casualties, so today we have only one way out,” which is Ukraine membership in NATO, he said.

Despite Ukraine’s appeals, Western countries, including the US and the UK, have restricted Ukraine’s use of their long-range weapons like ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles to prevent deep strikes inside Russia, allegedly aiming to avoid escalation. Meanwhile, Germany has been refusing to send Ukraine its Taurus missiles for months.

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