According to German leader Friedrich Merz, Ukraine should not count on quick membership in the European Union. Despite this, he suggests considering a scenario of partial integration.
Points of attention
- Merz highlights the significance of launching a process that accelerates accession negotiations, aiming for a bridge towards potential full membership in the future.
- According to Merz, intermediate steps are crucial for the integration process, and he is determined to ensure closer integration of Ukraine into European institutions.
Merz described his vision of Ukraine's European integration
It is clear to everyone that Ukraine's immediate accession to the EU is, of course, impossible.
Friedrich Merz
Chancellor of Germany
Despite this, the German leader made it clear that he was determined to "ensure closer integration (of Ukraine. — ed.) into European institutions."
According to Friedrich Merz, the main issue is the involvement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in meetings of the European Council, but for now without the right to vote.
The German Chancellor's approach also envisages the gradual inclusion of Ukraine in certain policy areas depending on the state of reforms.
Merz believes that it is extremely important to launch a process in the bloc with a strategy for gradual rapprochement between Ukraine and the EU. The culmination of this rapprochement should be full membership.
The German leader believes that this entire process cannot be completed without intermediate steps:
I have repeatedly spoken about this in recent days with President Zelenskyy… It is important that this rapprochement now also accelerates accession negotiations and becomes a bridge to future full membership.
