Ukrainian President ZELENSKIY rejected a proposal to grant Ukraine a "partial member" status in the European Union, saying that, given the Ukrainian armed forces are defending the entire EU against Russian attacks, Ukraine should be granted full member-state status. In a letter to senior EU officials, ZELENSKIY said Kyiv's objective of becoming a full EU member remains unchanged and warned against so-called "half measures." "We have never regarded member-state status as joining some kind of 'hal

Ukrainian President ZELENSKIY rejected a proposal to grant Ukraine a "partial member" status in the European Union, saying that, given the Ukrainian armed forces are defending the entire EU against Russian attacks, Ukraine should be granted full member-state status. In a letter to senior EU officials, ZELENSKIY said Kyiv's objective of becoming a full EU member remains unchanged and warned against so-called "half measures." "We have never regarded member-state status as joining some kind of 'half-union,'" he wrote. The statement appears to be Kyiv's clearest rebuke to date of German Chancellor MERZ's proposal. Last month MERZ proposed allowing Ukraine limited integration into EU institutions without full voting rights, a measure intended to balance the EU's enlargement ambition and commitment to Ukraine with some member states' concerns that accession is proceeding too quickly.