Baerbock avoids comment on Scholz's stance on Ukraine's NATO membership
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock avoided commenting on Chancellor Olaf Scholz's hesitation to discuss Ukraine's potential NATO membership.
She addressed the matter in a speech before the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
"We need security guarantees that truly work," Baerbock said, adding that NATO is actively deliberating on Ukraine's proposal for membership.
She highlighted progress over the past two years, including the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Council.
When asked about Scholz's reluctance to discuss Ukraine's NATO membership and Germany's potential involvement in peace guarantees after a ceasefire, Baerbock avoided comment, stating that peace remains the priority and it can only be achieved through collective efforts.
"Various elements of peace are being discussed, including political and material guarantees, [Ukraine's] NATO membership, international presence to monitor a ceasefire, troop withdrawal, regional issues, reconstruction, and sanctions management," she said.
Baerbock stressed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has shown no willingness to negotiate or end the war in over 1,000 days.
Baerbock said that the post-2014 situation, when the OSCE mission operated in eastern Ukraine -- including with Russian participation -- must not be repeated. She pointed out that the mission had failed to prevent attacks along the contact line, even against its own personnel.
"Peace must be just. There must be no freezing of the conflict, where weapons continue to build up, potentially leading to another attack on Ukraine or even other European countries," Baerbock said.
She reiterated that only Ukraine could set the objectives for its negotiations, with partners ensuring it approaches talks from a position of strength.
Baerbock outlined three key areas where Germany is assuming greater responsibility for European security: increasing defense investments, which surpassed 2% of GDP for the first time; bolstering NATO's eastern flank; and providing support to Ukraine.
"We are taking on responsibility for NATO's headquarters in Wiesbaden and for supporting Ukraine, including financial aid," Baerbock said.
She added that Germany is contributing an additional EUR 63.5 million to the Ukraine-NATO fund and has allocated EUR 30 million in bilateral humanitarian aid to Kyiv.
She also discussed her visit to Beijing, where she highlighted Putin's efforts to draw more countries into his war.
"The situation with North Korean soldiers and the use of drones from Chinese factories show that the Asian continent, especially China, is being dragged into the conflict. This further increases the threat to European peace," she warned.
On Monday, Baerbock held talks in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with Russia's war in Ukraine being a central topic.
On Tuesday, NATO foreign ministers began a two-day meeting in Brussels, where increasing support for Ukraine is a primary focus.