German chancellor backs Ukraine's future EU membership
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (photo: Getty Images)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed his intention to continue supporting Ukraine and expressed confidence that the country will join the European Union in the long term, according to remarks he made before the Bundestag, as cited by Die Welt.
As is known, in May the German chancellor proposed granting Ukraine a new status of "associate EU member" before it obtains full membership — an idea that drew considerable criticism in Kyiv.
Speaking in the German parliament, Merz stressed that his proposal would allow Ukraine to be represented in key EU institutions — the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Council — albeit without voting rights.
"A Ukrainian commissioner, even without a portfolio or voting rights, would be the face of Kyiv in Brussels," Merz said.
The chancellor stressed that full membership in the European Union strictly depends on meeting the accession criteria.
Merz also assured that Berlin remains committed to achieving a just peace in Ukraine.
"Our goal for Ukraine remains a just and lasting peace that also takes our security interests into account. For this and for this reason, we support Ukraine. That is the truth. We are doing it today, and we will do it tomorrow for as long as necessary," he stressed.
Ukraine's accession to the EU
Ukraine applied for EU membership on February 28, 2022, and received candidate status in June of the same year.
The process involves large-scale reforms and aligning Ukrainian legislation with European Union standards.
The negotiations are divided into six clusters.
Back in 2025, Ukraine sought to open all six, but Hungary blocked the first one. As of May 2026, Ukraine had received requirements for all clusters, but they remain legally unopened.
Against this backdrop, ideas for intermediate forms of cooperation are being discussed more frequently, especially given the bloc's enlargement and the difficulty of rapidly integrating new countries.
In particular, Western media reported that Germany and France had proposed giving Ukraine certain opportunities to participate in the work of European institutions even before full membership.
At the same time, such a format would not provide voting rights in EU decision-making or access to agricultural subsidies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously rejected the idea, stressing the need for Ukraine's full and equal membership in the European Union.
Recently, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that the European Union is considering only two scenarios for Ukraine's membership in the EU. One of them is unconventional.
