Germany’s Merz floats associated EU membership for Ukraine — Reuters
Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (Getty Images)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine the special status of associate member of the European Union, according to Reuters.
Read also: EU could open membership negotiations with Ukraine as early as this summer, commissioner says
In a letter to EU leaders, seen by Reuters, Merz proposed granting Ukraine the new status of associate member, which would allow Ukrainian officials to participate in EU summits and ministerial meetings but not to vote at them.
The German chancellor also proposes that EU members make a political commitment to apply the bloc’s mutual assistance clause to Ukraine with the aim of creating a substantial security guarantee.
Merz’s proposal is an attempt to strike a balance between rapid accession and Ukraine’s current status as a candidate country at the start of the process.
"My proposal reflects Ukraine's particular situation, a country at war. It will help facilitate the ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution," Merz writes.
He adds that this is "essential not only for Ukraine's but for the entire continent's security."
Ukraine's EU accession
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine expected to become a member of the European Union as early as 2027. At the same time, many EU countries consider such timelines to be overly optimistic.
The governments of some EU countries do not support active discussions or the acceleration of new members’ accession, particularly Ukraine’s. These countries include France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy.
In particular, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski have stated that Ukraine’s rapid accession to the bloc currently seems unlikely.
Brussels emphasizes that Kyiv must fulfill all the necessary conditions for full membership. In particular, European Commissioner Marta Kos outlined a list of key requirements currently facing the Ukrainian authorities.
She also called on European Union countries to officially open all negotiation chapters regarding Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the EU by the summer.
