German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine associate member status in the European Union. This interim membership would provide Kyiv representation at EU summits, the European Commission, and the parliament, but would be without voting rights.
Merz is pushing the European Union to consider this status as Berlin attempts to inject life into the bloc's enlargement process. While advocating for this interim step, he stressed that he still wants Ukraine to eventually become a full member.
This proposed associate membership would allow Ukraine to request assistance from other EU countries against Russian attacks, creating what Merz describes as a substantial security guarantee. However, officials say it is unrealistic for Ukraine to achieve full membership in the next few years.