Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to which Ukraine could obtain a special status as an associated member of the European Union. According to Zelenskyy, Kyiv is not seeking a symbolic presence at the European table, but rather full and equal membership. "Ukraine must have a full and equal place in the European Union," Zelenskyy said in a statement on the X network, according to the Politico website.

Merz's proposal suggests that Ukraine could obtain an intermediate stage on the path to full membership. According to Reuters, such a model would allow Kyiv to participate in EU summits, ministerial meetings, or some meetings of EU institutions, but without voting rights. The German Chancellor presents this approach as a practical way to bring Ukraine closer to the EU politically and in terms of security, while full accession could take longer.

However, Zelenskyy described this approach as unfair. In a letter to European leaders, according to Reuters, he emphasized that Ukraine "is defending Europe fully, not partially," and therefore it would be unfair for Ukraine to be present in the European Union without having a voice. The letter was addressed to the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, whose country currently chairs the Council of the EU.

The debate comes at a time when Ukraine is trying to move forward with accession negotiations. It applied for membership in the EU on February 28, 2022, just days after the start of the Russian invasion. It was granted candidate status in June 2022, and accession negotiations were formally launched in 2024. The European Commission states that Ukraine completed the screening process, i.e., the technical assessment of preparedness in various areas of EU law, in September 2025.

The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, also hinted at support for a gradual model, according to which candidate countries could gain access to, for example, the single market, the customs union, the roaming area, or the Erasmus and Horizon programs even before full membership. However, for Kyiv, it is crucial that such steps are not a substitute for full membership, but only a path towards it.

The dispute highlights the difference between European caution and Ukrainian expectations. While some EU countries are looking for a more flexible model that would quickly integrate Ukraine without immediately expanding voting rights, Zelenskyy insists that a country fighting against Russian aggression cannot simply be an associated observer in the European project. According to Kyiv, the goal must be clearly full membership, not a permanent intermediate stage.

gnews.cz - GH