Zelensky Opposes German 'EU Associate Member' Proposal: "Ukraine Deserves Equal Rights"

President Zelensky Sends Letter to EU Leadership

According to a Reuters report on May 23 (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly opposed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal to grant Ukraine "associate member" status in the European Union (EU).

President Zelensky reportedly sent a letter late the previous night to top EU leadership, including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Antonio Costa, President of the European Council; and Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus, which holds the EU Presidency for the first half of this year, expressing his position on the matter.

In the letter, President Zelensky stated, "It would be unfair if Ukraine were in the EU but unable to have a voice," and insisted, "Now is the right time to advance Ukraine's EU accession in a complete and meaningful way."

He added that while he fully understands Ukraine's EU membership will not happen overnight, "Every country should have time to integrate without having its rights restricted."

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Yonhap News Agency.

He also emphasized, "We are defending Europe not partially or in some ambiguous way, but fully," adding, "Ukraine deserves fair treatment and equal rights within Europe."

Previously, Chancellor Merz sent a letter to the EU leadership, arguing, "Given the political complexities of the EU accession process, it is realistically impossible for Ukraine to become a full EU member in the short term." He proposed that, reflecting Ukraine's unique situation as a country at war, a new status of 'associate member' should be created.

Should Ukraine receive associate member status as envisioned, Ukrainian officials would be able to attend EU summits and ministerial meetings without voting rights. Additionally, Ukraine would be able to have representatives in the European Commission, which serves as the EU's executive branch, and send non-voting members to the European Parliament.

However, analysts point out that since this proposal would restrict Ukraine's participation in decision-making processes, it remains uncertain whether it will gain consensus among other member states.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.