The Ukrainian president criticized Merkel for the decision taken in 2008 to block Ukraine’s entry into NATO and invited her to visit Bucha. Merkel says she would make the same decision again.
“Considering the atrocities discovered in Bucha and elsewhere in Ukraine, all efforts by the government and the international community to side with Ukraine and to put an end to Russian barbarism and the war against Ukraine have the full support of the former chancellor. “, the statement said.
The note by Merkel’s spokeswoman follows a tough speech by Zelensky, released on Sunday night, in which the Ukrainian president left criticism of the West and invited former leaders of Germany, Angela Merkel, and France, Nicolas Sarkozy, to visit Bucha, a city where hundreds of bodies with torture marks were found this weekend after Ukrainian troops regained control of the village.
“I invite Ms. Merkel and Mr. Sarkozy to visit Bucha and see what a compromise policy has led to over the last 14 years. To see with their own eyes the tortured Ukrainian men and women,” Zelensky said in a videotaped speech released on Sunday.
The Ukrainian leader was referring to the 14th anniversary of the NATO summit in Bucharest, in which the possibility of extending the alliance to several countries, including Ukraine, was discussed, and regretted that the decision, at the time, was not to work on the accession, due to “absurd” fears concerning Russia.
“The absurd fear of some politicians towards Russia was hidden. They thought that by refusing Ukraine they would be able to appease Russia, convince it to respect Ukraine, and live normally by our side”, said Zelensky, referring to the European leaders of the time, with Merkel at the head.
At the time, Angela Merkel opposed Ukraine’s entry into NATO, considering that the political conditions for such membership were not yet met.
Angela Merkel’s consulate has also been criticized by Ukraine due to Germany’s heavy dependence on Russian gas, particularly due to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.
Soorce: with Agencies
