EXCLUSIVE-Ukraine's Zelenskiy says proposal of associate EU membership 'unfair'
Published on: May 23, 2026, 8:39 p.m. | Source: Devdiscourse
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested earlier this 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 four-year-old war triggered by Russia's invasion. In response, Zelenskiy said in a letter sent late on Friday, reviewed by Reuters, 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.
