German Foreign Minister Says Ukraine’s NATO, EU Membership Impossible

MOSCOW, November 23 (Sputnik) — Ukraine’s NATO, EU membership would not be possible in the foreseeable future, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in his interview with Der Spiegel magazine published on Sunday.

“I think that the partnership between Ukraine and NATO is possible, but not the membership,” Steinmeier said.

The German minister also stated that it is unrealistic to think that Ukraine might join the European Union in the short term, since the improvement of the economic and political situation in the country is “the project of the next few generations”.

“This is why today there is no point in discussing Ukraine’s membership of the EU,” Steinmeier added.

In August, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk introduced legislation to the country’s parliament to drop its “non-aligned bloc” status, starting a campaign to join NATO. However, the bloc's regulations do not allow countries involved in territorial disputes to become its members, while Kiev refuses to acknowledge Crimea’s reunification with Russia.

In September, Ukraine and the EU parliament ratified the economic and political parts of the Association Agreement. That same month, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko unveiled a plan of reforms he wanted to implement until 2020. Poroshenko said his 'Strategy-2020' plan would help to implement reforms and special programs that will make Ukraine eligible for EU membership within six years.