Germany’s Merz says no ‘immediate’ Ukraine EU membership, floats Kyiv joining meetings

There is little appetite to fast track Kyiv to full membership in the EU – causing some to pitch possible interim benefits in the meantime

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday there was no prospect of Ukraine’s “immediate accession” to the EU, but suggested Kyiv could join meetings of the bloc’s members without voting rights.

Ukraine is pushing to speed up its bid to join the 27-nation European Union as it fights Russia’s invasion on the battlefield.

Kyiv’s progress has been blocked by Hungary’s nationalist premier Viktor Orban, but his defeat in elections earlier this month raised hopes it can move to the next step.

EU leaders broadly back moving Ukraine forward by opening the first of the so-called negotiating “clusters”.

But there is little appetite to fast track Kyiv to full membership – causing some to pitch possible interim benefits in the meantime.

“It is clear to everyone that an immediate accession of Ukraine to the EU is, of course, not possible,” Merz said after an EU summit in Cyprus that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky attended.