German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed making Ukraine an “associate member” of the EU without voting rights, while Kyiv goes through the lengthy process of joining fully, a letter seen by AFP Thursday said.
– The plan — first floated by Merz with EU counterparts last month — would see Ukraine’s leader attend the bloc’s summit but not be able to cast a vote.
– Kyiv would have a representative at the top table of the EU’s executive, the European Commission, and non-voting members of the European parliament.
– Under the proposal, outlined by Merz in a letter to EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, the bloc’s mutual assistance clause would apply to Ukraine, and it could benefit from parts of the EU’s budget.
– “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.
– “What I envisage is a political solution that brings Ukraine substantially closer to the European Union and its core institutions immediately.”
– Ukraine is pushing to speed up its bid to join the 27-nation European Union as it fights Russia’s invasion on the battlefield.
– Kyiv’s progress was blocked by Hungary’s nationalist former premier Viktor Orban, but his ouster by rival Peter Magyar has raised hopes Kyiv could now move forward.
– Merz’s plan could face scepticism from both Germany’s EU counterparts and from Ukraine.
– Kyiv is desperate to keep up momentum towards joining the bloc and fears that any suggested interim solutions will see it stranded in a halfway house.
– The German leader insisted he still wants Ukraine to eventually become a “full member” and urged launching “all negotiation clusters” immediately.
– “It would not be a membership light,” he wrote.
– Ukraine sees membership of the EU as vital to its future recovery and security, as the United States has essentially closed the door on it joining NATO.