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Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended today her refusal in 2008 to start the process of Ukraine's accession to NATO, AFP reported.

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She responded to criticism from incumbent Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who regretted that some leaders at the time had shown absurd fear.

A Merkel spokeswoman issued a brief statement in which the former chancellor said she was taking responsibility for her decisions at the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest.

In a video message last night, Zelensky criticized what he called NATO's covert refusal to accept Ukraine into its bosom in 2008 because of "the absurd fears of some political leaders about Moscow."

Zelensky added that these leaders thought that by rejecting Ukraine, they would be able to reassure Russia.

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According to Ukrainian President Merkel, as well as former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, they must go to Bucha, where many civilians were killed.

"Given the atrocities found in Bucha and elsewhere in Ukraine, all efforts by the government and the international community to side with Ukraine and end Russia's barbarism and war against Ukraine are fully supported by the former chancellor." , explained Merkel's spokeswoman.

At the same time, Zelenski himself is in Bucha today, AFP reported.

"Every day when our fighters enter a settlement and reclaim territories, you see what is happening," he told foreign media, wearing an armored vest and accompanied by the Ukrainian military in the middle of a street in Bucha, a city that was devastated. from the battles.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine