Germany’s Merz reaffirms support for Ukraine’s EU bid

Oliver Towfigh Nia

Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday reaffirmed Germany’s support for Ukraine’s path toward EU membership.

“Germany supports this goal, even though we both know that we cannot fully achieve it in the short term,” Merz said at a joint press briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin.

The chancellor stressed that Ukraine’s EU accession “would be a strategically important step toward greater security and prosperity in Europe.”

He added that Berlin is encouraging Kyiv “to push ahead even more vigorously with reforms in the country, particularly in areas such as the fight against corruption and the rule of law. Because the effort is worth it. Every further step in this direction is a step closer to Europe. And I want to emphasize this particularly in the mutual interest of Europe and Ukraine.”

Berlin, Kyiv to step up military cooperation

Germany and Ukraine are also expanding military cooperation following agreements reached by Merz and Zelenskyy during the first-ever German-Ukrainian government consultations in Berlin.

Merz said bilateral relations would be elevated to the level of a “strategic partnership.”

According to the chancellor, additional comprehensive support measures were agreed, including air defense, long-range weapons, drones, and artillery ammunition.

The cooperation will also include an exchange of digital combat data to support the development of new weapons systems.

“What we are doing in this cooperation is not only beneficial for Ukraine’s defense. It is also of particular benefit to us, for our security,” Merz emphasized.

Zelenskyy’s visit to Berlin comes as the Ukrainian president said Monday that Kyiv is preparing the groundwork for deeper security agreements in Europe, adding it expects to “achieve results this very week.”

Last week, Zelenskyy said he would hold talks “in the near future” with European countries on defense against Russian drones and Ukraine’s EU accession, among other issues.