Published on
23/05/2026 - 16:45 GMT+2
President Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine deserves full EU membership, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pitched making Kyiv an "associate member" without voting rights.
According to a letter to the bloc's leadership, Merz suggested this status for the duration of the lengthy negotiations before a complete accession.
Zelensky pointed out that his country was defending Europe by repelling the Russian invasion and stressed the importance of its full EU membership.
