The essentials in brief:
- Zelenskyj sees Ukraine on the way to NATO
- Ukraine is seeking support from beyond Western countries
- Media: Scholz gives laudatory speech at the Charlemagne Prize ceremony
- Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica marked by war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees his country on the way to NATO, despite the ongoing Russian war of aggression. In view of new military aid from the West and international support, Ukraine has had a good week for its “movement towards NATO,” Zelensky said in his daily video message.
He justified this by saying that EU country Lithuania this week recognized the need to invite Ukraine to join NATO at the military alliance’s summit in Vilnius in July. The parliament of the Baltic state decided this week to seek an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO. Poland has also pledged support for Ukraine to join NATO.
The federal government and the USA had expressed reservations about this. In general, a prerequisite for joining NATO is that the candidate must not be involved in current international conflicts and disputes about borders. In view of the Russian war of aggression and the Ukrainian defense against it, this premise of NATO is not fulfilled. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also indirectly ruled out Ukraine’s accession in times of war. He pointed out that it is a prerequisite for NATO membership that Ukraine survive the war as a democratic independent nation.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is skeptical when it comes to Ukraine joining NATO quickly
At a meeting of foreign ministers of the alliance in Brussels on Tuesday, NATO invited the Ukrainian President Zelenskyj to its summit in Lithuania on July 11 and 12. In autumn 2022, Zelenskyy had applied for his country’s accelerated accession to NATO. He is banking on preferential treatment for Ukraine.
Ukraine is also seeking support from outside Western countries
The Ukrainian President once again solicited support from countries that, unlike the West, have not clearly distanced themselves from Russia and its war of aggression. In Ukraine today there is a fight for universal values that are close to all peoples. “Everyone appreciates security and protection against terror,” said Zelenskyj. No people want what the occupiers stand for, “Russian concentration camps, the deportation of children, the rape of women and the burning of cities.” The more the world learns about it, the faster the aggressor will lose Russia.
Media: Scholz gives laudatory speech at the Charlemagne Prize ceremony
Chancellor Olaf Scholz will hold the laudatory speech at this year’s award ceremony of the Aachen Charlemagne Prize to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj. This is reported by the “Bild am Sonntag” (BamS), citing German government circles. This year, the Charlemagne Prize will not be awarded on the Ascension Day holiday, as is usual, but four days beforehand on May 14th. According to “BamS”, the reason is that Scholz is on his way to the G-7 summit in Japan on May 18th.
As the paper further reported, citing Ukrainian government circles, it is planned that Selenskyj will come to Aachen in person. It would be his first visit to Germany since the Russian war of aggression began in February last year. However, a planned offensive by the Ukrainians could result in Selenskyj not leaving the country and having to be connected via video.
Ukraine’s tank attack on Russian positions in Donetsk region
The Board of Directors of the Charlemagne Prize announced its decision on this year’s award in December. “The Ukrainian people, under the leadership of their President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are not only defending the sovereignty of their country and the lives of their citizens, but also Europe and European values,” the statement said at the time. Since 1950, the international Charlemagne Prize in Aachen has been awarded to personalities or institutions who have rendered outstanding services to Europe and European unification.
Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica marked by war
During the celebration of the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis castigated in his homily the “rampant injustice” and the “icy winds of war” that he said reign in the world.
Pope Francis preaching on the Easter Vigil
However, Easter encourages people and gives them hope. “It motivates us to move forward, to leave behind the feeling of defeat and to face the future with confidence because Christ has risen and changed the course of history,” said the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
qu/ack (dpa, rtr, afp)
This article will be continuously updated on the day of its publication. Reports from the combat zones cannot be independently verified.