German Chancellor Angela Merkel affirmed her opposition to quickly admitting Ukraine and Georgia to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) through a spokesman on Monday. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a political rival who is running for the chancellorship next year, had last week also firmly rejected a US proposal to admit them quickly. In Berlin, deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said Merkel was "seamlessly" in agreement with Steinmeier on the matter. Neither candidate nation would fulfill the criteria for NATO entry in the foreseeable future, he said. The question is on the agenda when NATO foreign ministers meet Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels.
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a political rival who is running for the chancellorship next year, had last week also firmly rejected a US proposal to admit them quickly.
In Berlin, deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said Merkel was "seamlessly" in agreement with Steinmeier on the matter. Neither candidate nation would fulfill the criteria for NATO entry in the foreseeable future, he said.
The question is on the agenda when NATO foreign ministers meet Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels.
Ukraine is moving to soothe relations with Russia as Nato loses interest in offering rapid membership of the alliance. The reappraisal comes amid debate in Kiev about the wisdom of antagonising the Kremlin, particularly after the confrontation between Russia and Georgia in the summer. President Yushchenko of Ukraine has ordered a policy review in an effort to defuse tensions with Russia over his country's pro-Western leanings. The shift is an acknowledgement that friction between Kiev and Moscow has made it harder for the European Union and Nato, particularly members such as Germany and France, to embrace Ukraine. "The majority of Ukrainians understand that strain and antagonism on our eastern border hinder the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of our country," Oleg Voloshin, a spokesman at the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow, said. "Now Kiev is disposed to intensify its dialogue with Russia to relieve her concerns over some priorities of Ukraine's foreign policy."
Ukraine is moving to soothe relations with Russia as Nato loses interest in offering rapid membership of the alliance.
The reappraisal comes amid debate in Kiev about the wisdom of antagonising the Kremlin, particularly after the confrontation between Russia and Georgia in the summer.
President Yushchenko of Ukraine has ordered a policy review in an effort to defuse tensions with Russia over his country's pro-Western leanings. The shift is an acknowledgement that friction between Kiev and Moscow has made it harder for the European Union and Nato, particularly members such as Germany and France, to embrace Ukraine.
"The majority of Ukrainians understand that strain and antagonism on our eastern border hinder the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of our country," Oleg Voloshin, a spokesman at the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow, said. "Now Kiev is disposed to intensify its dialogue with Russia to relieve her concerns over some priorities of Ukraine's foreign policy."
