Volodymyr Zelensky made a rare misstep when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed associate EU membership for Ukraine, offering institutional access, participation in Council meetings, gradual budget integration, and critically, Article 42(7) security guarantees. Zelensky rejected it, insisting Ukraine deserves full and equal membership. In principle, most Europeans would agree. On politics, however, we can argue. Ukraine's EU candidacy is not the problem Europe is currently trying to solv

Volodymyr Zelensky made a rare misstep when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed associate EU membership for Ukraine, offering institutional access, participation in Council…

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has spoken in favour of "associate membership" in the EU for Ukraine, with benefits that would reward the country for progress towards full…