A country like Ukraine, which is in conflict, cannot become a member of the EU" - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shared with the press after the European Union summit.
He added: "However, this country may become an ally of the EU and then an official member of the union." He noted that such a move would not require amending EU treaties.
Previously, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sent a letter to the leaders of EU member states and the heads of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, proposing that Ukraine enjoy a special status as an "associate member" of the bloc.
The German Chancellor said that this initiative is "not a simplified version of EU membership", but an expansion of the 2014 Association Agreement and will help accelerate the accession process.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also proposed integrating Ukraine into all EU military structures and expanding for this country the provisions of Article 42.7 of the Treaty on the European Union, which stipulates mutual support in the field of defense.
In a government statement to parliament, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz argued that the association membership of the European Union would allow Kiev to participate in European Council meetings and would also grant it a position as a European commissioner without voting rights.
