German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that Ukraine, within the framework of a future peace agreement with Russia, may have to accept that part of its territories will remain outside the control of Kyiv.
Reuters writes about this.
Merz noted that the final decision on such conditions should be made by Ukrainian society.
According to Merz, a possible ceasefire and subsequent peace agreement could involve difficult political compromises. He emphasized that in such a case, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could put the issue to a referendum and explain to citizens that at the same time the country gains the prospect of joining the European Union.
“If President Zelensky wants to convey this to his own population and get a majority for this, and he needs to hold a referendum on this issue, then he must simultaneously tell the people: 'I have opened the way to Europe for you,'” Merz added.
At the same time, the Chancellor stressed that Ukraine's path to the EU is long and cannot be realized in the coming years. He noted that even the benchmarks for early 2027 or 2028 are unrealistic due to the requirements for a candidate country, in particular in the area of the rule of law and the fight against corruption.
Ukraine currently has the status of a candidate for EU membership, but the negotiation process is being slowed down due to the position of individual member states.
Merz also proposed interim integration mechanisms, including Ukraine's involvement as an observer in certain EU institutions until full membership.