---
title: "New Status for Ukraine in the EU: Friedrich Merz Explains Why 'Associated Membership' Is Not a Rejection of Support"
description: "German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed support for Ukraine and the idea of its future accession to the EU, but proposed an intermediate status of 'associated member' with the right to be present in the bloc's institutions, but without voting rights. 🇩🇪🇺🇦 Kyiv currently rejects this format, insisting on full membership. 📉"
date: 2026-06-11T09:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/merz-ukraine-associated-membership-in-the-eu-en
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# New Status for Ukraine in the EU: Friedrich Merz Explains Why 'Associated Membership' Is Not a Rejection of Support

![Friedrich Merz at a press conference discussing Ukraine's new status in the EU and explaining that 'associated membership' does not mean abandoning support](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/11/merc-ukraina-assotsiirannoe-chlenstvo-v-es/merc-ukraina-assotsiirannoe-chlenstvo-v-es-1.webp)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in his address to the Bundestag, reaffirmed unwavering support for Ukraine and expressed confidence that the country will become a full member of the European Union in the long term. However, to accelerate integration, Merz proposed an intermediate format of cooperation, which has already sparked a mixed reaction in Kyiv.

### The Essence of the Proposal: Presence Without Voting Rights

In May of this year, the German leader voiced the idea of granting Ukraine the status of an 'associated member' of the EU. This step aims to resolve the issue of Kyiv's participation in key EU institutions before the complex accession process is completed. According to Merz, such a status would allow Ukraine to be represented in the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Council.

"A Ukrainian commissioner, even without a portfolio or voting rights, would be the face of Kyiv in Brussels," explained the Chancellor, emphasizing that this is not a replacement for membership but a way to strengthen Ukraine's influence on the European agenda.

### Strict Criteria and the Reality of Negotiations

Despite the positive tone, Merz did not hide that full membership strictly depends on meeting all accession criteria. The integration process requires large-scale reforms and the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with EU norms. It is worth remembering that Ukraine submitted its application for membership on February 28, 2022, receiving candidate status in June of that same year.

However, the path to the EU door proved thorny. In 2025, Ukraine sought to open all six negotiation clusters, but Hungary blocked the first stage. As of May 2026, Kyiv received requirements for all clusters, but legally they remain closed. It is against this backdrop that ideas of intermediate cooperation formats are sounding more frequently.

### Kyiv's Reaction and Brussels' Position

The idea of 'associated membership' has not found support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Previously, he rejected this format, insisting on the necessity of full and equal membership. Western media reported that Germany and France had offered similar schemes for participation in the work of institutions, but such a format does not provide voting rights in decision-making or access to agricultural subsidies.

In Brussels, scenarios for future developments are also being considered. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos recently stated that the European Union is discussing only two scenarios for Ukraine's membership: standard and non-standard.

### The Goal — A Just Peace

Concluding his speech, Friedrich Merz focused on the main goal of supporting Ukraine. "Our goal for Ukraine remains a just and long-term peace that takes into account our security interests. For this and for this reason, we support Ukraine. That is the truth. We are doing it today and will do it tomorrow, as long as it is necessary," emphasized the Chancellor.