On October 21, Erler took part in a Moscow-Berlin video link on the geopolitical consequences of the recent Russian-Georgian conflict in South Ossetia and said Ukraine and Georgia were not ready to join the Alliance. He also questioned the ability of Ukraine to contribute to European security.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said: "Most of the comments made by the German minister were biased and incorrect manipulation of facts and figures, which is unacceptable for a high-ranking state official commenting on the position of another sovereign state."
The ministry said that Ukraine, "unlike some European countries," participates in absolutely all peacekeeping missions under the aegis of NATO.
Ukrainian pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko has pushed hard for Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO, and the next step would be a Membership Action Plan from the military alliance.
NATO refused at its summit in April to let Ukraine into MAP, a key step for membership in the 26-nation alliance, but promised to review the decision in December. The country, along with Georgia, had received strong U.S. backing for its bid.
