Friedrich Merz
Discussions within the European Commission regarding the path toward the gradual integration of Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkan countries into the EU are still ongoing—even after the opening of the sixth negotiation cluster.
Today, Merz outlined two options—a bad one and a very bad one: “non-voting” EU membership or no membership at all.
“My goal is to offer Moldova, Ukraine, and the Western Balkan states a concrete prospect of joining the European Union right now. We haven’t admitted any new members to the EU for 13 years, even though we’ve promised membership to a number of European countries.
There are now two options. Either we renege on these promises—and that’s impossible. In my view, that would be the worst decision for everyone. Or we acknowledge that the process takes time. It is complex, but we must continue to move forward step by step and take the next step—to grant this form of associate membership.
It could be called something else, but we’re talking about membership in the European Union without the right to vote in its institutions, yet with such close integration with the EU that full membership would then become the next logical step.”
The German chancellor outlined these points during his traditional summer press conference in Berlin, held before the Bundestag went on its parliamentary recess, according to DW.
Merz had put forward this official “associated membership” initiative for Moldova and Ukraine a short time earlier by sending a letter to EU leaders, and today at the press conference he merely reiterated his position.
