Scholz Pledges Security Guarantees for Kyiv

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged on Thursday long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, but dashed Kyiv's hopes of quickly joining NATO. In a speech to German lawmakers, Scholz stated, "We need to take a wise look at the current situation," adding that "the government in Kyiv itself has acknowledged that Ukraine will not be able to join the alliance as long as the war continues." Scholz proposed focusing on the top priority at the NATO summit in Vilnius in mid-July. He mentioned that Berlin and its partners in the G7 and the EU are working to provide long-term security guarantees for Kyiv. He said, "Our goal is sustainable military support for Ukraine, including with modern Western weapons, and to strengthen Ukraine's economic resilience as it defends itself against Russian aggression." NATO countries are considering what to offer Kyiv when member state leaders meet in Vilnius on July 11 and 12. While Kyiv and its closest allies in Eastern Europe are calling for concrete steps to bring Ukraine closer to membership, governments in the West, such as the United States and Germany, are concerned about any move that might bring the alliance closer to entering a war with Russia.