Ukraine’s Zelenskyy insists on full EU membership, Merz counters

Ukraine deserves full EU membership, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, stressing that his country was defending Europe by fighting Russian aggression.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has raised a plan to make Kiev a non-voting “associate member” for the duration of lengthy negotiations before full accession, according to in a letter addressed to the leadership of the bloc seen by AFP on Thursday.

Zelenskyy, however, insisted on his country’s full EU membership.

In his daily speech, he said that “without Ukraine, there can be no complete European project, and Ukraine’s presence in the EU must also be complete – with full rights.”

“Ukraine is fighting for its life, for its independence and for the Europe that has lived the longest in peace,” he added, urging the 27-member bloc to push ahead with membership negotiations.

The associate membership plan – first presented by Merz to EU counterparts last month – would see Ukraine attend the bloc’s summits and have a representative in the European Commission, while also benefiting from parts of the EU budget, but without full voting rights.

Ukraine submitted its EU membership bid days after the Russian invasion in 2022. It was granted official candidate status a few months later, with membership negotiations starting in 2024.

of complicated The EU accession process usually takes years, involving negotiations on numerous issues, from agriculture to the rule of law.

EU-Ukraine talks have barely moved as progress was blocked by Hungary’s former nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán. But Orban’s drive away by rival Peter Magyar has raised hopes that Kiev can now move forward with discussions.

Ukraine also suffers from endemic corruption, with the latest scandal involving Zelenskyy’s associates, according to Ukrainian prosecutors. The disappearance of corruption is among the main demands of the EU towards Ukraine.

(nk, jp)