Merkel's Memoirs: Reflections on NATO, Trump, and Her Legacy

In her memoirs, Angela Merkel defends her 2008 decision to block Ukraine's path to NATO membership, citing Russia's opposition and the presence of its Black Sea Fleet in Crimea as key reasons. Merkel argues that offering Ukraine and Georgia a membership action plan would have been "playing with fire" and unlikely to deter Russian aggression. Her stance has faced criticism, especially after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but she maintains that a compromise at the NATO summit was necessary to avoid splitting the alliance.