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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has once again dashed Ukraine’s hopes for a swift entry into the European Union, warning that the process could take years.<\/p>\n
“Our top priority right now is to do everything we can to end this war,” he said at a meeting with Romanian President Nicu\u0219or Dan in Berlin on Friday.<\/p>\n
After that, Merz said, talks would begin on rebuilding Ukraine. This would be a process that could ultimately lead to Ukraine becoming an EU member, but, he said, “that will take several years.”<\/p>\n
Ukraine has been a candidate for EU membership since 2022 and wants to be admitted to the EU quickly.<\/p>\n
Merz said that as long as Ukraine is under attack and in a state of war, “accession to the European Union will of course be virtually impossible.”<\/p>\n
However, the aim is to bring the country as close as possible to the EU and bind Ukraine to the community, the chancellor added.<\/p>\n
Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n