Zelensky rejects German plan for Ukraine’s “connected member” EU status

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote to EU leaders criticizing German Chancellor Friedrich Merkel’s (as reported) proposal that Ukraine be given a “connected member” status in the European Union. The plan would let Kyiv attend EU council meetings without voting rights as an interim step toward full accession, a move the German side says could help secure a peace agreement ending the four‑year war with Russia.

Zelensky called the proposal “unfair”, arguing that participation without a voice would leave Ukraine “present but without influence”. He pointed to the recent removal of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after elections as an opportunity to advance substantial progress in accession talks. The letter was addressed to European Council President Anton Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, who presently holds the EU Council presidency.

Zelensky thanked European leaders for their wartime support and reaffirmed that Ukraine sees itself as a bulwark against Russian aggression for the whole 27‑member bloc, insisting that “Ukraine deserves a fair approach and equal rights within Europe”.