Germany’s Friedrich Merz Calls for ‘Associate’ E.U. Membership for Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed granting Ukraine an unprecedented “Associate Member” position within the European Union — which would bring Kyiv closer to the 27-country bloc as it continues its years-long pursuit towards attaining full membership status.

Merz reportedly shared his proposal through a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa. In Merz’s missive, seen by several international outlets on Thursday, the German Chancellor argued that his proposed “associate member” for Ukraine would not confer the country with voting rights within the European Council, Parliament, and Commission, but it would grant it access to E.U.-funded programs on a “step-by-step” basis without being a full member of the bloc.

“It is obvious that we will not be able to complete the accession process shortly, given the countless hurdles as well as the political complexities of ratification processes,” Merz reportedly wrote