President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the initiative of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the introduction of “associate membership” for Ukraine in the European Union as an intermediate step towards full integration into the European community.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukraine’s Position on EU Membership
Zelensky emphasized that it is strategically important for Ukraine to become a full member of the EU, highlighting the significance of our country’s participation in the European project. According to him, Ukraine continues to fight for its independence, as well as for a Europe that can protect the lives and culture of its citizens, which gives it truly global importance.
“Ukraine is fighting for its life, for its independence, and for that Europe which has lived in peace the longest, protects people and lives, protects culture, and thanks to such protection has a truly global role. Without Ukraine, there cannot be a full European project, and Ukraine’s presence in the EU must also be full – full-fledged. It is important to open clusters. It is important to move meaningfully in negotiations,” said the head of state.
European Perspective and the Search for New Solutions
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha also emphasized that Ukraine strives for full membership in the European Union. He noted that various mechanisms are being sought that could bring Ukraine closer to EU membership, but they should not replace the strategic goal – to become a full member of the European community.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in a letter to the EU leadership and the President of Cyprus, which currently holds the presidency of the EU Council, called for the acceleration of the process of considering Ukraine’s membership. He acknowledged that EU enlargement is geopolitically necessary, but the process is dragging on, causing frustration among candidate countries and member states. In this regard, Merz suggested seeking innovative solutions, as Ukraine’s full accession to the EU may take a long time.