Any interim formats for Ukraine’s integration into the European Union should not replace its full membership, which must remain a strategic goal for both Kyiv and Brussels.
Robin Wagener, chair of the German-Ukrainian Parliamentary Group and a member of the Bundestag from the Alliance ’90/The Greens party, made this statement in an interview with Ukrinform while commenting on the idea of so-called “associated membership” for Ukraine in the EU, proposed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“First and foremost, everything depends on what exactly is meant by this concept. It is absolutely unacceptable to us that such a form of association would serve as a substitute for Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union. This is precisely where I see the main danger of this proposal,” said Wagener.
According to him, one of the risks is that the European Union could leave Ukraine in an intermediate status for a long time, postponing the necessary decisions.
“Moreover, this danger exists on both sides. Within the EU, there may be a temptation to postpone the necessary reforms and leave Ukraine in an intermediate status for a long time. At the same time, within Ukraine itself—perhaps among political forces that do not want to implement certain reforms necessary for full EU membership—the argument may arise: ‘Perhaps we will gain access to the internal market through the association agreement anyway, without carrying out all the reforms,’" the lawmaker noted.
