German Chancellor Merz says he sees no possibility of Ukraine joining the EU quickly

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz does not see any possibility for Ukraine to join the European Union quickly.

He was quoted as saying this by the German newspaper Die Zeit.

“Accession on January 1, 2027 is out of the question. It’s simply impossible,” he said after consultations between the leaders of the SPD and the CDU/CSU.

The chancellor noted that it is important for Ukraine to have a perspective that will pave the way to EU membership.

He added that Ukraine can be gradually brought closer to the European Union—something that “is always possible,” but that such rapid accession is simply unrealistic.

In addition, Merz disagreed with calls for direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

On January 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine’s accession to the EU is one of the key security guarantees not only for Kyiv but for all of Europe.

“That is why we are talking about a specific date—2027,” he wrote.