It would be very good if this war ended - Scholz

This was discussed in a televised debate between him and chancellor candidate and CDU/CSU leader Friedrich Merz, DW reports.

Asked whether Ukraine should join NATO, Merz said they could not do so.

“Because NATO does not accept members who are at war,” he explained.

According to the German chancellor candidate, granting Ukraine EU candidate status was the right decision, and noted that joining the European Union would give Ukraine much more security. He did not mention the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO after the end of the war.

Scholz said that Ukraine's membership in NATO will not happen anytime soon because the U.S. has rejected the proposal.

“Ukraine should join NATO, but it cannot do so now because NATO has no member countries that are at war,” he said.

Scholz and Merz expressed hope for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine amid Donald Trump's rise to power in the United States.

Scholz said it remains to be seen whether peace will be achieved in Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump takes office.

“It would be very good if this war would end,” he added.

Photo: European Union.