Merz says Ukraine’s EU membership by 2027 is ruled out
Friedrich Merz (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he sees no chance of Ukraine joining the European Union in the near future, according to NW.
“Accession on January 1, 2027, is out of the question. It is impossible,” Merz said after consultations between the leaders of the SPD and the CDU/CSU at the Chancellery in Berlin.
He explained that any country seeking to join the EU must meet the Copenhagen criteria, a process that typically takes several years.
At the same time, Merz stressed that it is important for Ukraine to have a clear perspective that would pave the way toward EU membership. However, he emphasized that this is a long-term process.
“We can gradually bring Ukraine closer to the European Union. That is always possible, but such rapid accession simply makes no sense,” the German chancellor concluded.
Background
In December 2025, the Financial Times reported that, in the event of a peace agreement and an end to the war, Ukraine could join the EU by January 1, 2027. According to the newspaper, this issue was discussed during negotiations involving the US and European countries.
In recent days, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed that Ukraine’s accession to the EU on January 1, 2027, is part of a plan to end the war.
However, in the same December report, the Financial Times noted that the EU was pushing back, saying that accession by 2027 was unlikely. The reason given was that Ukraine has not officially completed any of the 36 stages of the accession negotiation process.
For several days in a row, Ukrainian officials have also confirmed that the US peace plan included 2027 as the target date for Ukraine’s EU accession. They added, however, that this provision is being revised due to objections from some EU member states.
