Ukraine should become an "associate member" of the European Union before becoming a fully fledged member state, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said in a proposal aimed at breaking the two-year deadlock in the country's bid to join the bloc.
"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 in various member states," Merz writes in a letter to EU leaders seen by Euronews.
"It is now time to boldly move on with Ukraine's EU integration through innovative solutions as immediate steps forward."
The "associate" status, Merz argues in the document, would grant Ukraine access to the decision-making bodies – the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament – without voting rights or a dedicated portfolio. It would also allow the country to tap into certain EU-funded programmes on a "step-by-step" basis.
Crucially, it would enable Kyiv to request aid from other member states in the event of a new Russian attack. This would be done under Article 42.7 of the EU treaties, which Brussels is currently trying to flesh out, to create a "substantial security guarantee".
