German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine a special status as an interim step towards EU membership.
According to Reuters, Merz sent a letter to EU leaders outlining the proposal.
The "associate member" status would allow Ukrainian officials to attend EU summits and ministerial meetings, but without voting rights.
Merz also suggested that EU countries commit to applying the bloc's mutual assistance clauses to Ukraine to create significant security guarantees.
"My proposal will help facilitate ongoing peace negotiations. This is important not only for Ukraine's security but for the security of the entire continent," Merz said.
