Germany's Merz pitches 'associate' EU membership for Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has suggested making Ukraine an "associate member" of the European Union to bring it closer to the bloc before it completes the process of qualifying for full membership.

Ukraine is keen to join the bloc as a measure to bolster its security and prosperity as it fights against invading Russian forces, especially as the US has so far rejected the idea of its becoming a NATO member.

What has Merz proposed? 

In a letter to EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa seen by news agencies on Thursday, the German leader proposed allowing Ukrainian officials to take part in EU summits and ministerial meetings but without voting rights.

"It is obvious that we will not be able to complete the accession process shortly, given the countless hurdles as well as the political complexities of ratification processes," Merz wrote.

"What I envisage is a political solution that brings Ukraine substantially closer to the European Union and its core institutions immediately," he wrote.

Under Merz's proposal, Ukraine would be covered by the bloc's mutual assistance clause, and it would also be eligible for funding from parts of the EU's budget.

Merz insisted that he still wanted Ukraine to eventually become a "full member" and urged the launch of all necessary negotations.

"It would not be a membership light," he wrote. 

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Proposal with snap-back mechanism

Merz wrote that any such agreement with Ukraine could contain a snap-back mechanism that would annul the interim membership if Kyiv backslid on the rule-of-law standards necessary for full accession.

"My proposal reflects Ukraine's particular situation, a country at war. It will help facilitate ​the ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution,” Merz wrote.

He added that this was "essential not only for Ukraine's but for the entire continent's security."

Merz said he intended to discuss his ideas with fellow European leaders.

"My aim would be to reach an agreement soon, and to set up a dedicated Task Force to work out the details,” he wrote.

Merz's proposal could be received with some skepticism both by Germany's EU partners and by Ukraine itself, which fears that such interim solutions could leave it in a limbo without a foreseeable end.

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Long EU accession process

Although 2027 was put forward as a possible date for Ukraine's EU accession in a 20-point peace plan discussed by the US, Ukraine and Russia, European officials believe the country's full membership is unlikely in the next few years.

Accession procedures are usually long and entail a great deal of bureaucracy, with candidate countries required to meet several democratic and economic standards.

Each of the bloc's 27 member states must also approve and ratify any accession, adding to the possible obstacles.

Kyiv's progress on EU accession was considerably hampered by Hungary's former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, but his successor, Peter Magyar, has raised some hopes of the process moving forward. raised some hopes of the process moving forward. 

Edited by: Zac Crellin