German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that in a potential peace agreement with Russia, Ukraine would have to agree to the loss of part of its territory, but this would facilitate the countryʼs accession to the European Union.
He said this during a speech to students at the Carolus-Magnus Gymnasium in Marsberg, Reuters quotes him as saying.
"At some point, Ukraine will sign a ceasefire agreement; at some point, hopefully, a peace treaty with Russia. Then it may happen that part of Ukraineʼs territory will no longer be Ukrainian," Merz said.
He believes that President Volodymyr Zelensky will need to hold a referendum if he wants to convey this opinion about the territories to the people and gain support, and tell the public that in this way he has "opened Europe to them".
At the same time, the German Chancellor rejected the idea of Ukraineʼs rapid accession to the EU — he says that this is impossible during a war and Ukraine must meet strict criteria, in particular regarding the rule of law and the fight against corruption.
"Zelensky put forward the idea of joining the EU on January 1, 2027. It wonʼt work. Even January 1, 2028 is unrealistic," Merz believes.
He proposed interim steps, such as granting Ukraine an observer role in EU institutions, an idea he said had broad support among European leaders at a summit last week in Cyprus, which Zelensky attended.
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