The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, arrived in Berlin to participate in negotiations with national security advisors from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, who are united in the E3 group.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Negotiations amid discussions on Ukraine’s EU membership
Before traveling to Berlin, Umerov visited Brussels, where he held talks with a senior official from the European Commission regarding cooperation in the defense industry. In Berlin, the main focus of the negotiations is on security issues, the further development of the negotiation process, and defense cooperation, particularly regarding an agreement on the supply of drones between Ukraine and Germany.
The meeting in Berlin takes place against the backdrop of tensions in relations between the German government and Ukraine. This is related to the recent proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to grant Ukraine the status of an “associated member” of the European Union as an interim step before possible full membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected this initiative, emphasizing the necessity for Ukraine to become a full-fledged, equal member of the EU.
Reactions from diplomats and the position of European ministers
One EU diplomat noted the symbolic timing of the meeting:
“Last week, many in Brussels were asking why Merz decided to announce his initiative regarding Ukraine’s associated membership right now,” said the diplomat. “The fact that Umerov is in Berlin today indicates that there is a clear connection between these events.”
The spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz refrained from commenting, citing the confidential nature of the meeting, and the Ukrainian embassy in Berlin similarly declined to comment.
The press service of the NSDC confirmed Umerov’s presence in Berlin and reported on a meeting with the German Foreign Ministry’s State Secretary, Zautter, during which security, negotiations, and defense partnership issues were discussed. The trip was described as “routine planned work with European colleagues.”
European ministers have approached Chancellor Merz’s initiative regarding Ukraine’s “associated membership” without full voting rights with caution, emphasizing the importance of Ukraine’s full accession to the EU according to the existing enlargement procedure based on the merits of the candidate country.