No alternative can replace Ukraine’s full EU membership, Swedish Foreign Ministry says
Germany’s proposal for Ukraine’s associate membership in the EU cannot replace full accession to the bloc.
Sweden’s Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz said this, Censor.NET reports, citing Ukrinform.
What is known?
"One of Sweden’s important priorities remains Ukraine’s accession process, where we are now seeing momentum, given the fact that a new government has come to power in Hungary. So Sweden hopes for rapid progress, preferably in June, to take the first official step in Ukraine’s accession process," Rosencrantz said.
The minister also commented on Germany’s proposal regarding Ukraine’s associate membership in the EU.
"All proposals that can help advance Ukraine’s membership are positive, but they must never replace full membership. Today, we are seeing gradual integration. This is something we support, but the German proposal still needs to be analyzed in more detail," she explained.
Rosencrantz spoke of a "decisive moment for Ukraine’s security and Europe’s future."
Earlier, Croatia said that Ukraine was more than ready to open the first cluster in EU membership talks.
Estonia also wants the EU to open all clusters for negotiations with Ukraine by June 2026.
Poland will also not oppose the opening of all clusters in Ukraine’s EU accession talks.
Background
- Recently, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly proposed granting Ukraine the status of an "associate member" of the EU before full accession.
- French Minister Delegate for Europe Benjamin Haddad had also earlier suggested that the EU could offer Ukraine an interim status that would allow gradual alignment with European policies and institutions.
- In response to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s proposal to grant Ukraine a new status as an "associate member" of the EU before it obtains full membership, the European Commission said it welcomed such a discussion among member states.
