German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine an “associate member” status in the European Union (EU) as an intermediate step towards full membership, since full accession will take time, he wrote in a letter to community leaders in Brussels that Reuters and AFP agencies accessed this Thursday. This would allow Ukrainian leaders to participate in EU summits and ministerial meetings, although without voting rights.
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“It is clear that we will not be able to complete the accession process in the near future, given the countless obstacles and political complexities of the ratification procedures,” writes the German leader in his letter, addressed, among others, to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, António Costa. Consequently, Berlin suggests that in the meantime Kyiv be given the concept of “associate member,” a category that currently does not exist in the EU.
Aware that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky advocates for “full integration” into the EU, preferably by 2027, Chancellor Merz maintains that this status would not imply a “light” or diluted integration at all.
Kyiv’s perspective
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky advocates for “full integration” into the EU, preferably by 2027, and fears that intermediate proposals will delay accession
Ukraine has always been reluctant to accept intermediate proposals that it interprets as delaying its accession. At the same time, a clear path to the EU could be vital for Zelensky to convince the Ukrainian population about a peace agreement, especially if, as feared, Ukraine does not regain control of all its territory nor manages to join NATO.
In his letter, Merz details what this “associate member” status could look like. According to the German chancellor, this arrangement would allow Ukraine to participate in certain meetings of the European Council – the body that brings together the heads of state and government of the EU –, have an “associate” European commissioner without portfolio, and also “associate” representatives in the European Parliament without voting rights. Kyiv could also appoint an “associate” judge to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Ukraine obtained official candidate status to join the EU in June 2022 alongside Moldova, and in June 2024 Brussels formally agreed to start negotiations with both countries. But these accession negotiations stalled due to Hungary’s veto, governed until a few weeks ago by the pro-Russian Viktor Orbán.
Although the new Hungarian Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, rejects a fast and preferential entry of Ukraine into the community club, he has lifted the veto, so Germany and most countries expect official negotiations to begin soon.
Security in Europe
According to Merz, granting Ukraine “associate member” status could contribute to an agreement that ends the war triggered by the large-scale Russian invasion of February 2022
However, the negotiations will be arduous and long, especially in the agriculture chapter. Ukraine is an important agricultural producer, and its large size worries some countries, including France. According to the German proposal, although Ukraine would have access to the EU budget, spending programs could be applied gradually.
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In fact, one of the most complex points of Ukraine’s accession request is that, if it joins the community bloc, the country would be entitled to financial benefits under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka told Bloomberg last month that Ukraine would be willing to postpone receiving subsidies from the program for several years.
The German chancellor also writes that a reversal mechanism or an expiration clause could be established if Ukraine backtracks on the rule of law standards or the accession process.
EU accession requires the consent and ratification of each of the 27 member states, a laborious and lengthy process that could pose significant obstacles. European senior officials do not see it realistic that Ukraine will achieve full accession in the coming years, even though the year 2027 has been mentioned in a 20-point peace plan debated among the United States, Ukraine, and Russia.
Enlargement of the community club
Western Balkan countries, which have long awaited EU entry, fear that Ukraine and Moldova will overtake them in the process
According to Merz, granting Ukraine “associate member” status could help facilitate an agreement that ends the war triggered by the large-scale Russian invasion of February 2022. The German leader also proposes that EU members assume a “political commitment” to apply the bloc’s mutual assistance clause to Ukraine “in order to create a substantial security guarantee.”
The chancellor discussed the idea with the Ukrainian president at last month’s European summit. “My proposal reflects Ukraine’s particular situation, a country at war. It will help facilitate ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution,” Merz writes in his letter, emphasizing that this is “essential not only for Ukraine’s security but for that of the entire continent.”
The German initiative comes ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit to be held in June in Montenegro, where enlargement will be on the agenda. The Western Balkan nations, which have long awaited entry, fear that Ukraine and Moldova will overtake them in the process. The last major EU enlargement took place in 2004, when ten countries joined the bloc. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007, and Croatia in 2013.
Merz assures in his letter that his proposal will not affect other candidate countries and suggested that the bloc “explore innovative solutions” for those who have long been working to join the EU. The German leader said he plans to discuss his ideas with other European leaders. “My goal would be to reach an agreement soon and create a specific working group to finalize the details,” he wrote. Merz’s proposal represents an attempt to find a middle ground between rapid accession and Ukraine’s current situation as a candidate country at the start of the process.
