Merz Floats Land Concessions For Ukraine Peace
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has suggested that Ukraine may have to accept the loss of territory as part of a future peace agreement with Russia. He linked such a scenario to the prospect of the country joining the European Union.
According to Merz, President Volodymyr Zelensky could justify any concessions to the public, for example, through a referendum, with the key argument being “an open road to Europe”.
At the same time, Merz warned that rapid EU membership for Ukraine is not realistic. The country cannot join the Union during a war and must meet strict criteria, including reforms to the rule of law and efforts to tackle corruption. He described timelines around 2027 or 2028 as unrealistic.
There may, however, be some movement following recent political changes in Hungary, which has so far blocked the enlargement process. Merz also suggested transitional solutions, such as integrating Ukraine into selected EU structures.
Meanwhile, the EU has approved €90bn ($97bn) in financial aid to Ukraine.