Germany's Merz pitches 'associate' EU membership for Ukraine
DW.com • • world
Key Points:
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed making Ukraine an "associate member" of the EU, allowing Ukrainian officials to participate in summits and ministerial meetings without voting rights to bring the country closer to the bloc amid ongoing war with Russia.
- Under Merz’s plan, Ukraine would benefit from the EU's mutual assistance clause and be eligible for certain EU funds, while a snap-back mechanism could revoke this status if Ukraine fails to meet rule-of-law standards.
- Merz emphasized that this interim status is not a "membership light" and called for launching full accession negotiations, aiming to support Ukraine's security and facilitate peace talks.
- The proposal may face skepticism from some EU members and Ukraine itself, but it positions Germany as a leader in shaping Ukraine's EU integration and could address concerns of other candidate countries like those in the Western Balkans.
- Full EU membership for Ukraine remains unlikely in the near term due to lengthy accession procedures, political complexities, and the need for unanimous approval from all 27 member states.