Ukraine should not reject associate EU membership (opens in new tab)

Volodymyr Zelensky made a rare misstep when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed associate EU membership for Ukraine, offering institutional access, participation in Council meetings, gradual budget integration, and critically, Article 42(7) security guarantees. Zelensky rejected it, insisting Ukraine deserves full and equal membership. In principle, most Europeans would agree. On politics, however, we can argue. Ukraine's EU candidacy is not the problem Europe is currently trying to solv