Scholz Told Putin When Ukraine Could Join NATO

Over the weekend, the German leader revealed some details of his talks with Putin before Russia began its military operation in Ukraine, adding that he now believes Russia sought to “conquer its neighboring country” all along.

“NATO was never a threat to Russia,” Scholz said he told Putin. The chancellor did not specify which conversation he was referring to, though Scholz met Putin in Moscow in mid-February.

Speaking to journalists this weekend during an ‘open-doors day’ at the chancellor’s office, Scholz also denied that the military alliance had disregarded Russian security interests. When the two leaders spoke about the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO, Scholz assured Putin that “it will not happen in the next 30 years,” the chancellor revealed.

Scholz also said that he would not abandon dialogue with Russia but struck a harsher tone when assessing Moscow’s motives. He particularly accused Putin of starting the conflict for “completely absurd” reasons.

The chancellor also brushed off the idea of drawing any fixed security lines in Europe. “Putin actually had the idea of swiping a marker pen across the European landscape and then saying: 'That's mine and that's yours’,” Scholz said, adding that “it does not work that way.”

Scholz also said that dialogue should be used to stand up to Moscow. Giving in is not a sensible strategy, he argued, adding that “one must be clear and not allow oneself to be intimidated.”

Germany condemned Moscow’s operation in Ukraine and expressed its solidarity with Kiev. It joined Western sanctions against Russia and supplied Ukrainian forces with significant volumes of weapons, including portable anti-tank missiles and self-propelled howitzers.