Zelenskyy rebuffs Merz proposal, says Ukraine deserves full EU membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal for Ukraine to become a non-voting "associate member" of the European Union, insisting instead on full membership with complete rights. Zelenskyy argued that Ukraine, which is defending Europe against the Russian invasion, must have a complete presence in the EU to ensure the bloc's full potential. Ukraine's EU membership bid, submitted in 2022, has made slow progress due to complex negotiations and issues like corruption, though recent political changes in Hungary have raised hopes for advancement.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to grant Kyiv a non-voting "associate membership". Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine's EU presence must be complete, with full rights. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that Ukraine deserves full EU membership, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pitched making Kyiv an "associate member" without voting rights. According to a letter to the bloc's leadership, Merz suggested this status for the duration of the lengthy negotiations before a complete accession. Zelenskyy pointed out that his country was defending Europe by repelling the Russian invasion and stressed the importance of its full EU membership. In his daily address, Zelenskyy said that "without Ukraine, there can be no fully-fledged European project, and Ukraine's presence in the EU must also be complete, with full rights." "Ukraine is fighting for its life, for its independence, and for that Europe which has lived in peace the longest," he added, urging the 27-member bloc to advance membership negotiations. The 'associate-membership' plan would allow Ukraine to attend the bloc's summits and have a representative in the European Commission, while also benefiting from parts of the EU budget, but without full voting rights. Ukraine's EU membership bid was submitted just days after the Russian invasion in 2022, and it was granted official candidate status a few months later. The accession negotiations started in 2024; however, the complex process usually takes years and involves discussions on multiple difficult, detailed issues, ranging from agriculture to the rule of law. Negotiations between the EU and Ukraine have made little headway, with progress stalled by Hungary’s nationalist former prime minister, Viktor Orbán. However, Orbán’s removal from power by his rival, Péter Magyar, has fuelled expectations in Kyiv that the talks could now move ahead. Ukraine is also grappling with deeply rooted corruption, with the latest case allegedly involving members of President Zelenskyy’s inner circle, according to Ukrainian prosecutors. Tackling corruption remains one of the EU’s key conditions for Ukraine’s accession bid.