Ukraine rejects German chancellor's EU associate membership plan

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote to EU leaders saying Friedrich Merz's proposal to give Ukraine an "associated member" status in the European Union would be unjust, because it would let Kyiv attend EU bodies without voting rights. Zelensky reiterated that full EU membership remains the goal and warned that a presence without a voice would trap Ukraine in a waiting room.

Merz, Germany's chancellor, argues the scheme would bridge the gap between candidate status and full membership, granting Ukraine seats and limited voting rights in the Council and European Council, access to Commission and Parliament meetings, partial budget contributions, and a role in the European Court of Justice. Critics say the plan merely codifies a political stalemate, allowing the EU to keep influence over Kyiv while avoiding the institutional, financial, and security costs of full accession. The proposal has also been criticized for its potential to expose the EU to new internal conflicts and fiscal burdens as Ukraine rebuilds after the war.