German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on European Union leaders to consider giving Ukraine a new form of “associated membership” in a letter to leaders.
Merz argued that Ukraine should be more greatly aligned with EU institutions immediately, even if full membership cannot be completed in the short term. His proposal would allow Ukrainian representatives to take part in meetings of the Council of EU member states and the European Council, but without voting rights.
As reported by Tagesschau, the plan would also create possible associate roles for Ukraine inside the European Commission and the European Parliament, again without voting powers. Merz also suggested a limited position linked to the European Court of Justice, described as an “Assistant Rapporteur,” which would amount to a lower-ranking judicial role.
The chancellor presented the idea as a middle ground between Ukraine’s current status and eventual EU membership. He said the arrangement could be implemented without changing EU treaties, provided member states reached a strong political agreement.
With the electoral defeat of former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán last month, opposition toward such an idea is likely to be less vociferous.
Merz said Ukraine’s wartime position and its progress toward accession justified a special response from Brussels. He argued that a formalized status inside EU institutions would send a powerful signal to Ukraine and its citizens as the country continues to fight Russian aggression.
Under the proposal, Ukraine would also be expected to align fully with the EU’s foreign and security policy. In return, EU member states would make a political commitment to apply the bloc’s mutual assistance clause to Ukraine, creating what Merz described as a substantial security guarantee.
“It would not be membership lite, but it would go beyond the association agreement and would further accelerate the accession process,” Merz said of his proposal.
Merz acknowledged, however, that expedited full membership remains unrealistic. He pointed to the many technical, legal, and political obstacles still ahead, as well as the need for ratification procedures in several member states.
He called on Brussels to continue negotiating all accession-related issues “immediately and without delay,” while using associated membership to prevent the process from losing momentum.
According to reports by Merkur, the proposal could also include Ukraine’s gradual integration into the EU budget and step-by-step access to EU programs.
