German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged lasting security assurances to Ukraine on Thursday but dashed Kyiv's hopes for an immediate NATO membership.

In a speech to German lawmakers, Scholz emphasized the need for a realistic assessment of the current situation, noting that the Ukrainian government itself acknowledged that NATO membership would not be feasible as long as the conflict persisted.

"Therefore, I propose that we prioritize the primary objective at the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, which is to enhance Ukraine's military capabilities," Scholz stated.

He highlighted ongoing efforts by Berlin, the G7, and the European Union to provide long-term security assurances to Kyiv. Scholz expressed the goal of achieving sustainable military support for Ukraine, including the provision of modern Western weaponry, along with bolstering the country's economic resilience in the face of Russian aggression.

Disagreements among NATO countries persist regarding the nature of support to offer Kyiv during the alliance's forthcoming leaders' meeting in Vilnius on July 11-12.

While Kyiv and its Eastern European allies advocate for tangible steps towards Ukraine's closer alignment with NATO, Western nations like the United States and Germany exercise caution, fearing that such moves might escalate tensions with Russia and potentially lead to conflict. Photo by Preiss/ MSC, Wikimedia commons.