Scholz recalls assuring Putin in February 2022 that Ukraine will not join NATO for another 30 years

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO in the next 30 years. During the communication with the Germans at the Festival of Democracy on May 26, he stated that two and a half years ago he talked about this with the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Scholz shared details of the meeting with the Russian dictator in February 2022. The conversation touched on Ukraine and Putin's "imperial notions that borders can be changed by force," regardless of the law.

According to the chancellor, Putin then called Ukraine's desire to join NATO one of the reasons for the Russo-Ukrainian war. Scholz, according to him, openly told the dictator that "it is out of the question, at least for another 30 years."

"By the way, one of the reasons given for the war at that time was that Ukraine was allegedly joining NATO. You know the decisions of past NATO summits — this is not expected in the near future. Probably in the next 30 years," said the German leader.

The NATO summit in Washington will be held on July 9-11, 2024.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated in the Ukrainian parliament on January 12 that "more decisive actions" are needed in the matter of Ukraine's accession to NATO. In his opinion, at last year's NATO summit, the allies did not do enough for Ukraine.

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Boris Ruge said on January 19 that Ukraine will probably not receive an invitation to join the Alliance at the summit in Washington.