Merz Suggests Ukraine May Need to Accept Territorial Losses for EU Membership

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that Ukraine might have to accept territorial losses in a future peace deal with Russia in exchange for joining the European Union, Reuters reported on April 27.

Speaking to students at the Carolus-Magnus-Gymnasium in Marsberg, Merz outlined the reality Kyiv might eventually face at the negotiating table. “At some point, Ukraine will sign a ceasefire agreement; at some point, hopefully, a peace treaty with Russia. Then it may be that part of Ukraine’s territory is no longer Ukrainian,” the Chancellor stated.

Merz emphasized that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would need a powerful incentive to sell such painful concessions to his citizens. He noted that if Zelenskyy needs to hold a public referendum on a peace treaty, he must simultaneously be able to tell the population that he has officially “opened the way to Europe.”

While Kyiv’s path to EU integration has seen renewed optimism following the recent election defeat of Hungary’s nationalist premier Viktor Orbán—who had previously blocked progress—Merz cautioned against expecting a rapid timeline. Reuters states that he firmly rejected Zelenskyy’s goal of joining the bloc by January 1, 2027, stating that even 2028 is completely unrealistic. The Chancellor stressed that Ukraine cannot join while actively at war and must first meet strict criteria regarding the rule of law and anti-corruption measures.

As a temporary solution to bridge the gap, Merz proposed granting Ukraine intermediate observer roles in EU institutions. This step reportedly met broad approval among European leaders at last week’s summit in Cyprus, which Zelenskyy attended.

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EU Moves to Include UK in €90 Billion Loan Program to Support Ukraine’s Defense Needs

Apr 17, 2026 13:48

To maintain financial stability in the meantime, the European Union approved a €90 billion ($105.5 billion) loan to Ukraine last week, covering the bulk of the country’s needs through 2027 despite ongoing internal divisions over the pace of accession talks, Reuters reported.

Merz’s remarks on intermediate observer roles align with formal plans recently advanced by Berlin and Paris.

According to previous reports, France and Germany have proposed granting Ukraine a pre-accession status that notably excludes voting rights and access to crucial agricultural subsidies. While Zelenskyy continues to call for full EU membership by 2027, the Franco-German framework offers an “associate” or “integrated state” status instead.

Under this arrangement, Ukrainian representatives could attend European leadership meetings but would lack voting power and automatic access to the shared EU budget. Kyiv has pushed back against these limitations, with one official labeling the proposal a “shadow membership” and demanding a fair offer. However, the European plan does include a substantial security component, potentially extending the EU’s mutual defense clause to Ukraine through a political declaration as an alternative to near-term NATO accession.

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