German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined a proposal for closer Ukrainian participation in European Union institutions before full accession, while stressing that Kyiv would still need to meet all membership criteria to join the bloc. Speaking in the Bundestag on Thursday, June 11, ahead of next week’s EU summit, Merz said Ukraine belongs in the European Union “in the longer term” and highlighted what he described as the country’s significant reform achievements during wartime.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “The country has achieved remarkable reform progress,” Merz said, according to Die Welt. Associate status would expand Ukraine’s role in Brussels Merz proposed creating a form of associate EU membership that would give Ukraine a greater voice in European institutions before becoming a full member. Under the idea, Ukraine would regularly participate in EU leaders’ summits and have a representative in Brussels. “A Ukrainian commissioner, without a portfolio and voting rights for now, would be Kyiv’s face in Brussels,” Merz said. The German chancellor also suggested allowing Ukrainian lawmakers to participate in discussions in the European Parliament without voting rights. The proposal would stop short of granting Ukraine full membership privileges but would deepen Kyiv’s integration into EU decision-making processes. Full membership still tied to accession requirements While advocating closer integration, Merz emphasized that Ukraine would not receive special treatment on accession rules.