Marsberg, Germany. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine may have to accept that parts of its territory could remain outside Kyiv’s control in a future peace agreement with Russia, while cautioning that European Union membership cannot proceed during wartime.
Merz links potential concessions to EU path
Speaking to students at the Carolus-Magnus-Gymnasium in Marsberg, a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Merz said that Ukraine would at some point sign a ceasefire agreement and, he hoped, a peace treaty with Russia. He added that such an outcome could mean part of Ukraine’s territory “is no longer Ukrainian.”
Merz said that if President Volodymyr Zelenskiy seeks public support for such a decision, including through a referendum, he would need to tell Ukrainians that he had “opened the way to Europe” for them.
Accession outlook and Hungary’s role
Ukraine’s progress toward EU accession had been blocked by Hungary’s nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban, but his defeat in elections earlier this month raised hopes that Ukraine could move to the next step. Ukraine currently has official EU candidate status.
Merz warns against unrealistic timelines
Merz said Ukraine cannot join the EU while at war and must first meet strict criteria, including on the rule of law and fighting corruption. He rejected timelines discussed by Zelenskiy, saying that joining on January 1, 2027 would not work and that even January 1, 2028 was not realistic.
Possible interim steps and EU financial support
Merz proposed intermediate measures, including observer roles for Ukraine in EU institutions, and said the idea had broad approval among European leaders at their summit last week in Cyprus, which Zelenskiy attended.
The EU last week approved a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine, covering most of its needs through 2027, while the bloc remains divided over the pace of accession talks.
How do you think EU leaders should balance Ukraine’s accession process with the conditions set for membership?