German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine "associate member" status in the European Union as an interim arrangement before full accession, in a letter to bloc leaders seen by news agencies on 21 May, according to Spiegel.
The proposal arrives after the US rejected the idea of Ukraine joining NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly said Ukraine is not interested in incomplete EU membership.
Ukraine’s path toward the EU began in earnest with the 2014 Association Agreement, which brought Kyiv closer to EU rules and institutions. The process accelerated after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, when Ukraine applied for membership, received candidate status, and later opened accession negotiations.
What Merz is proposing
The letter, addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, would let Ukrainian officials take part in EU summits and ministerial meetings without voting rights, DW reported.
"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 wrote. "What I envisage is a political solution that brings Ukraine substantially closer to the European Union and its core institutions immediately."
Ukraine would also be covered by Article 42.7 of the EU treaties on mutual assistance and defense, gain gradual access to the bloc's budget, and obtain an Assistant Rapporteur seat at the EU Court of Justice, Spiegel reported. Merz called EU enlargement a "geopolitical necessity" and insisted the offer "would not be a membership light."
Snap-back clause and peace talks
The agreement would carry a snap-back mechanism allowing the interim status to be revoked if Ukraine backslid on the rule-of-law standards required for full accession, Merz wrote.
"My proposal reflects Ukraine's particular situation, a country at war. It will help facilitate the ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution," he wrote, calling the step "essential not only for Ukraine's but for the entire continent's security."
A 20-point peace plan discussed by the US, Ukraine, and Russia put 2027 forward as a possible accession date, though European officials view full membership in the next few years as unlikely. Each of the bloc's 27 member states must ratify any accession.
Parallel tracks for the Western Balkans and Moldova
Merz proposed separate accelerated integration plans for Western Balkans countries and Moldova rather than a single template applied to all candidates, Spiegel reported.
He said he intended to discuss the ideas with fellow European leaders and proposed setting up "a dedicated Task Force to work out the details."
Talk of partial accession arrangements for Ukraine surfaced unofficially in February 2026, European Pravda reported.
