Merz Says Ukraine’s EU Path Key to Ending War With Russia
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday, April 27, that closer integration of Ukraine into the EU could be a key condition for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.Speaking during a discussion with students in the town of Marsberg, Merz said a future peace agreement with Russia could involve territorial concessions by Kyiv – and accession to the EU could be vital in the proposed referendum on territorial concessions.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“Hopefully, there will one day be a peace treaty with Russia. Then it is possible that part of Ukraine’s territory will no longer be Ukrainian,” he said, according to German outlet Die Welt.Merz argued that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would need to be able to persuade the country that he has “opened the path to Europe for you” should the referendum come.He called on the EU to take steps toward Ukraine’s membership that are “credible, irreversible, and ultimately lead to full membership.”Merz recently proposed to allow Ukrainian representatives to participate in meetings of key EU institutions – including the European Council, European Parliament, and European Commission – without voting rights as an interim measure.The German chancellor added that the EU has the potential to rival the United States in strength if member states deepen cooperation.“If we unite more and act together, we could be at least as strong as the United States,” he said.
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The remarks were made during an EU project day at a local school, part of a nationwide initiative to promote awareness of European politics among students.Previously, the Financial Times reported that France and Germany are proposing a “symbolic” form of European Union integration for Ukraine that would grant limited benefits before full membership.But Ukraine’s foreign minister has ruled out the option, saying it does not accept any “ersatz membership” or “partial” formats.
