EU Commissioner Marta Kos positively assessed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s proposal to introduce a “associated membership” format for Ukraine in the European Union, calling it a useful impetus for a broader discussion on the EU’s future enlargement. She said this in an interview with the Financial Times.
Source: Censor.NET
According to Kos, Merz’s initiative could serve as a starting point for discussing new approaches to the integration of candidate countries.
“This is useful because we need a serious discussion,” she said, adding that she supports the very fact that the idea is being discussed.
At the same time, the EU Commissioner emphasized that the current EU enlargement model needs to be updated and that more effective mechanisms should be found, combining the principle of “merit-based accession” with gradual integration.
She also noted that Ukraine’s goal of joining the EU in the near term is unrealistic, but such ambition helps accelerate political processes.
Kos also suggested that changes to the negotiation process regarding Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession to the EU could take place in the near future, particularly in terms of its structure and format.
According to her, further progress will depend on which countries fulfill their commitments within the EU integration process.