Zelenskyy tells EU leaders “associate membership” proposal is unfair
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/23/8036063/
Zelenskyy tells EU leaders “associate membership” proposal is unfair
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/23/8036063/
26 Comments
They were too corrupt to join the EU before the war, they are probably way more corrupt now. They should not be allowed anywhere near the EU. Giving them voting writes would be insane.
As much as I want Ukraine to join the EU ultimately, I think it’s disrespecting from Zelenskyy to complain of genuine effort to try to give Ukraine a place in the EU during an ongoing war. He wants full membership, that will be possible in peace time following usual process and requirement.
Unfair indeed.
I’m against Ukraine EU membership, however if it happens there’ll be lots of money to be made in Ukraine, it’s going to turn into an even bigger success story than Poland.
Of course it’s unfair. Ukraine needs the EU as much as the EU, and the whole of Europe really, needs them for their acquired expertise in war fighting and military production. Not to mention their strong stance and desire to be free and democratic.
The politics of cowardice of our current times is what will ultimately leads us to a wider war.
I respect Ukraine and Zelensky a lot but they are a nation that is
– an active warzone
– full of corruption
– not really very functioning economy even pre-war
– being supported heavily by EU
if associate membership is not enough, then they should apply for full membership after problems above have been solved
Ukraine cannot join because it would not be able to respect and enforce EU laws and principles
When the war ends they will rebuild and reform as to meet the criteria
Associate membership is the best that the EU can do as of now
The West thinks that even associated member is an exceptional deal, but he still thinks it’s too little
Associate membership now, full membership when you’ve reformed and are ready. What’s the problem ?
We are not going to let you in right away now and you know it.
It would be really unfair if they let them join.
He is right to push back. After everything Ukraine went through, offering them a second-class seat at the table is tone deaf.
This is so delusional of Zelensky.
If there would be a referendum in the EU to give them special full membership admission, then no way people would vote them in as it will be a massive money sink.
Ukraine almost has no working age population doing something economically productive inside their country. The country was way too poor and corrupt before the war to even dream of EU membership.
I understand why Zelensky has to posture but this comes over really ungrateful.
Hoping for more is OK, just don’t blackmail the hand who feeds you.
There is a farm in Russia pretty active right now, mitigating damages when Putin will concede or he is killed by other oligarchs?
I guess time will tell
Ukraine was unfit to join EU even before the war. It is even more unfit now.
What is unfair is Ukraine cutting the queue of so many nations that was waiting to be in the EU.
No offense, but the Ukraine rejected joining the EU in 2013. They were warned about the Wolf at their door, they rejected it. Now the child fell into the well and the wolfs are inside the house, and now we are supposed to fast track the membership?
Yeah… no. I am against it. The Ukraine can take the same route as every other country. Including actually meeting the membership requirements.
It is already very generous to give them an “Association Position”, as far as I am concerned.
Yeah the thing that pretty much every member had to go through is unfair to the Ukraine.
It would become Hungary 2.0, they first need to fix their problems
how can you be on the council and not be a master?
If we disregard the war they are currently fighting, which pretty much puts the chances of joining down to zero they still wouldn’t be able to join. They don’t fully meet any of the Copenhagen Criteria as yet, so even when the war ends they will still have to make further progress on that if they want to join
The world is unfair..not nice but reality. Get used to it.
Did I miss something? Since when world is fair?
NATO did not let Ukraine in 2008 and got a full-scale war at its borders.
The EU does not let Ukraine in by making endless demands (Poland, Hungary) and also risks losing it.
Think for yourself who will benefit the most from this.
As much as i support Ukraine, he needs to take what he can get at this point. Ukraine did not qualify for membership BEFORE the war and now even less so. What would be unfair is making them full members now when other countries, in better positions remains outside.
It is quite amusing to observe these naively bureaucratic musings on ‘queues’ and ‘criteria’ from the perspective of a comfortable European commoner. Yet, history is a rather cynical lady, and she rarely adheres to protocols. A great war is not merely a geopolitical cataclysm, but the very ‘Great Filter’ that strips bare the true worth of states and their institutions. Ultimately, the map of the future Europe will not be drawn in offices based on the number of completed forms, but by the results of this existential examination. We will all have to accept this verdict, regardless of how much it disrupts your peace of mind.
many Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Germany, and other EU countries have been documented gaming social systems, collecting benefits across multiple countries simultaneously… It’s understandable since war is traumatic and survival instincts kick in, but it’s rarely said plainly that a noticeable portion of Ukrainians abroad have treated the generosity of host nations as an opportunity to extract maximum benefit with minimum accountability