Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected a German proposal for associate European Union membership, calling the plan unjust in a letter sent to top EU officials on Friday.
The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had put forward the idea of allowing Ukraine to attend EU meetings without voting privileges as a transitional measure toward complete membership. Merz suggested this approach could help broker an agreement to conclude the four-year conflict that began with Russia’s invasion.
However, Zelenskiy argued in his correspondence, which Reuters obtained, that recent electoral changes removing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban – a strong critic of Ukraine’s EU bid – now open the door for meaningful advancement in membership discussions.
“It would be unfair for Ukraine to be present in the European Union, but remain voiceless,” Zelenskiy wrote in his message. “The time is right to move forward with Ukraine’s membership in a full and meaningful way.”
The Ukrainian leader directed his letter to European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency.
In his correspondence, Zelenskiy expressed gratitude to European officials for their wartime assistance and emphasized Ukraine’s role as a shield protecting the entire 27-member union from Russian attacks.
“We are defending Europe – fully, not partially, and not with half-measures,” he stated. “Ukraine deserves a fair approach and equal rights within Europe.”
