Chancellor Merz announced that Germany is actively working to accelerate Ukraine’s integration into the European Union. He reiterated, “We want to speed up Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, and I will repeat my proposal for associate membership. We are working on this in Brussels,” he stated.
However, he emphasized that Ukraine must continue its reforms in combating corruption and ensuring the rule of law. Merz highlighted President Zelensky’s commitment to advance these changes, noting that further financial assistance depends on their implementation.
The Chancellor added that the responsibility for executing these reforms lies with both the Ukrainian government and the Verkhovna Rada.
In a notable move, Merz mentioned that for the first time since the onset of the full-scale war, he is accompanied by a high-level economic delegation from Germany. This group includes representatives from the defense and energy sectors who are looking to contribute to Ukraine’s defense, support, and reconstruction efforts.
Context
- Ukraine applied for EU membership shortly after the onset of the full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022. Alongside it, Moldova also attained candidate status.
- According to the Financial Times in January 2026, Brussels is considering a “simplified” entry for Ukraine into the EU with “partial membership,” which could expedite the country’s accession. The report stated that Germany and France proposed offering Ukraine “symbolic” benefits during the preparation phase instead of accelerated membership. This proposal was firmly rejected by Zelensky at the time.
- The associate membership format was proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for Canada on September 16. It aims to deepen collaboration in technology, defense, energy, critical minerals, and other sectors. Furthermore, Politico reported that this idea was a surprise for the governments of EU member states. The following day, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola stated that Australia and New Zealand could also achieve such a status.
