"This is not second-class membership": German ambassador insists Merz's idea of special status for Ukraine in EU has advantages

German Ambassador to Ukraine Haiko Thoms has insisted that the special status for Ukraine proposed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz ahead of its EU accession is the best of the ideas that have a realistic chance of being agreed on by member states and offers Ukraine advantages rather than the risks that others have seen in the proposal.

Source: Haiko Thoms in an interview with European Pravda

Details: The German ambassador argues that some of the criticism of Chancellor Merz's letter proposing a special status for Ukraine ahead of full EU accession is caused by a misunderstanding of the intentions behind it.

"There's something I want to make very clear: the proposal by us, by Germany, to Ukraine is, I believe, the most concrete proposal that has been on the table yet. And it's probably the best proposal that will be discussed anytime soon for Ukraine," Thoms stressed.

In response to a follow-up question from European Pravda about a Lithuanian idea – "acceding state" status – he emphasised that he was talking about the best realistic proposal currently on the table.

Thoms emphasised that Berlin wants Ukraine to join the EU as quickly as possible, and that Merz's proposal is aimed at speeding up the process and giving Ukraine additional opportunities to be represented in Brussels even before joining.

"It is not a second-rate membership. It is not an intermediate status that then becomes permanent. It only meant an additional offer to Ukraine on the way to your full membership in the EU," Thoms stressed.

He also dismissed concerns that Ukraine could become stuck in a "semi-member" status as a result of the proposal.

Thoms is convinced that Merz's proposal only expands the opportunities Ukraine has while on the "standard" path to EU membership. "In the meantime you get some additional elements of membership right now. That's an option no other candidate country will get," the ambassador argued.

"You will be represented in the College of Commissioners, you will have members in the European Parliament, participation rights in the European Council, even observer judges in the European courts, and you will also benefit from the application of the acquis communautaire. That means that we're offering full membership, which is the desired outcome for President Zelenskyy, plus some additional elements," he argued.

Thoms said the special status could come into effect immediately once all member states have agreed to the idea – and provided that Kyiv supports it.

"And it's not a given [...] that everyone in the European Union will automatically agree to this German proposal. This is something that we jointly need to work for. Germany feels obliged to work on it," Thoms said.

The ambassador noted that Germany is prepared to change the original name of the idea – "associate membership" – to another that will not invite criticism.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!