Germany's Merz pitches making Ukraine EU 'associate member'
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed making Ukraine an "associate member" of the EU without voting rights, while Kiev goes through the lengthy process of joining fully, a letter seen by AFP Thursday said.
The plan — first floated by Merz with EU counterparts last month — would see Ukraine's leader attend the bloc's summit but not be able to cast a vote.
Kiev would have a representative at the top table of the EU's executive, the European Commission, and non-voting members of the European parliament.
Under the proposal, outlined by Merz in a letter to EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, the bloc's mutual assistance clause would apply to Ukraine, and it could benefit from parts of the EU's budget.
