Germany's Merz pitches 'associate' EU membership for Ukraine
Key takeaways
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed giving Ukraine interim EU membership without voting rights.
- Ukraine is keen to join the bloc as a measure to bolster its security and prosperity as it fights against invading Russian forces, especially as the US has so far rejected the idea of its becoming a NATO member.
- "It is obvious that we will not be able to complete the accession process shortly, given the countless hurdles as well as the political complexities of ratification processes," Merz wrote.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed giving Ukraine interim EU membership without voting rights. He stressed that he still wanted Ukraine to eventually become a "full member."
https://p.dw.com/p/5E4cm Merz says Ukraine should be brought closer to the bloc [FILE: February 13, 2026] Image: Michaela Stache/AFPAdvertisement German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has suggested making Ukraine an "associate member" of the European Union to bring it closer to the bloc before it completes the process of qualifying for full membership.
Ukraine is keen to join the bloc as a measure to bolster its security and prosperity as it fights against invading Russian forces, especially as the US has so far rejected the idea of its becoming a NATO member.