“It is clear to everyone that Ukraine’s immediate accession to the European Union is impossible”, said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday 24 April, after the informal meeting of European leaders held on Thursday 23 April in Cyprus.
The day before, the leaders had welcomed the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the issue of his country’s accession to the EU was discussed. While French President Emmanuel Macron had asked the Commission the previous evening to set out a clear timetable and precise stages for the accession of Ukraine, as well as Moldova, the German Chancellor was more direct.
“I have proposed that, within the EU, we should now begin the process of developing a strategy for integrating Ukraine, which should eventually lead to full membership. But intermediate stages are necessary”.
The German also wants to “facilitate greater integration into the European institutions, for example through participation in European Councils, the European Parliament or the Commission, without the right to vote”. Or “by gradually integrating Ukraine into the political sphere as reforms progress”.
The Chancellor also said that he had “received considerable support” from his colleagues.
The day before, Belgium’s Bart De Wever had also advocated “an approach based on merit. No fast-track procedure is possible”.
Full membership in the short term? “I don’t think that’s realistic (...) We need to think about how, within this multi-level Europe, we can offer this kind of country the prospect of membership”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)