Germany pushes to speed up Ukraine's EU accession, says Chancellor Merz
Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in Kyiv that Germany is working to accelerate Ukraine's path to EU membership and will pursue the issue in Brussels.
At a joint press event in Kyiv, Chancellor Friedrich Merz told President Volodymyr Zelensky that Germany is committed to speeding up Ukraine's accession to the European Union, with diplomatic efforts focused in Brussels. He noted that Ukraine's progress on rule-of-law and anti-corruption reforms is crucial for receiving additional financial assistance, and praised Zelensky for reaffirming this commitment. Merz emphasized the shared responsibility of the Ukrainian government and parliament in implementing these reforms.
He also said future discussions will explore his earlier proposal for granting Ukraine associate membership. Ukraine seeks to complete the accession process as soon as possible, targeting integration by 2027 while adhering to EU enlargement rules.
Why it matters
Accelerating Ukraine's EU entry could reshape European security and deepen economic ties amid ongoing regional tensions.
How this story developed
- Sep 11 Ukraine expands use of unmanned ground robots on the front lines
- Sep 20 The robots have been observed along the entire 1,200‑kilometre front.
- Sep 24 During a gathering with Ukrainian-Americans, Zelensky confirmed an agreement to receive more Patriot missiles, a system vital for countering Russian ballistic attacks. He withheld the identity of the supplying nation and gave no timeline or quantity. The statement came amid his U.S. visit, where he also met President Donald Trump about Ukraine's defense needs. Separate records show the United States is prepared to approve ten German-origin interceptors worth $29.6 million, but delivery dates remain unclear. Overall, the announcement underscores Kyiv's urgent shortage of air-defense munitions as winter approaches.
- Sep 25 Trump communicated to Zelensky about licences for domestic Patriot missile production.
- Sep 25 Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Marija Zakharova called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “bastardo senza gloria”, saying he has lost dignity and is dependent on prohibited substances.
- Sep 27 Operators now use Discord to coordinate the robots with drones.
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