Germany’s Merz Calls For Associate EU Membership for Ukraine

The German Chancellor wrote a letter suggesting that Ukraine, which applied to join formally in 2022, could have access to the bloc without voting rights.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for German–Ukrainian government consultations in Berlin on April 14, 2026. Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has ​proposed granting Ukraine associate EU membership, which he said could help facilitate a deal to end the war with Russia.

In a May 18 letter to EU leaders, viewed by The Epoch Times, Merz suggested that Ukraine could be allowed to participate in summits and ministerial meetings of the 27-nation bloc, without the ability to vote on decisions.