On January 28, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request for Ukraine to join the European Union (EU) in 2027, saying that this process would take "many years" because Kiev must first meet the criteria for a member of the bloc.
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Mr. Merz gave a cautious assessment of Kiev's ambition to join the EU in the context of ongoing conflict with Russia and growing concerns within the EU regarding Ukraine's governance capacity.
Ukraine joining the EU on January 1, 2027 is impossible. That is not feasible. All candidates, including Ukraine, if they want to join the EU must meet the Copenhagen criteria," Mr. Merz said.
The Copenhagen criteria require the candidate country to have a stable democratic institution, an efficiently operating market economy, and at the same time absorb and implement the EU's massive legal system.
Mr. Merz emphasized that although Ukraine has the prospect of joining, the integration process is still "a long-term process". According to him, immediate priority should be given to peace negotiation efforts being mediated by the US in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).
Recently, Mr. Zelensky has stepped up a campaign for a rapid access roadmap, considering this a key security guarantee. In a social media post after meeting with Austrian Prime Minister Christian Stocker, he called for "a specific timeline - 2027".
Mr. Merz's stance reflects the hesitation that many other EU leaders also share, including Austrian Chancellor Stocker, who recently declared that he "is not a supporter of the rapid accession roadmap".
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also expressed a tougher stance, pledging to block any efforts to accelerate the accession process, in order to prevent Brussels from "importing war" and "corruption".
Concerns about corruption in Ukraine have increased this week, after Ukrainian prosecutors revealed that 41 incumbent MPs are being investigated for being involved in a ring of illegal voting manipulation.
The incident followed a major corruption scandal involving businessman Timur Mindich at the end of last year, leading to a series of senior resignations. This person is also a close associate of Mr. Zelensky.
