Kyiv – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a letter to EU leaders that a German proposal to grant Ukraine “associate” membership of the European Union was “unfair” because it would leave Kyiv without a voice inside the bloc.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested last week allowing Ukraine to participate in EU meetings and institutions without a vote as an interim step toward full membership of the bloc, which he said could help facilitate a deal to end the 4-year-old war triggered by Russia’s invasion.
In response, Zelenskyy said in a letter sent late on Friday, reviewed by reporters, that Ukraine was pressing ahead quickly with the reforms needed for full EU membership while also acting as a bulwark against Russian aggression for the whole of the 27-nation bloc.