After the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is sending another representative to Berlin to hold talks on EU membership. The federal government has so far been reluctant.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sent a special envoy to Berlin to hold talks with the German government about his country’s prospects for EU membership.

The Minister for Regional Development, Oleksij Tschernyschow, wants on Tuesday and Wednesday, among others, the head of the Chancellery Wolfgang Schmidt (SPD), Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD), Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) and, in the absence of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), their Minister of State Tobias Lindner (Green) meet.

Ukraine hopes that the heads of state and government of the European Union will meet them at the summit on 23-24. declare a candidate for EU accession. Shortly before that, the EU Commission will issue a recommendation. While other EU states have already spoken out clearly in favor of candidate status for Ukraine, the German government is still reluctant.

Ukraine rejects favoritism

“The European Union should embrace Ukraine,” Chernyshev demanded before his talks in Berlin. But he also emphasized that his country did not want to be given preferential treatment. “We do not expect accession through the back door and no fast lane for Ukraine.” As the economically strongest and most populous country in the EU, Germany plays a “decisive role” in the accession issue.

Chernyshev rejected any other form of partnership with the EU instead of membership, as suggested by French President Emmanuel Macron. Ukraine wants to belong to the EU. “We have no plans to consider any other format at this time.”

Last week, the President of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefantschuk, campaigned for his country’s EU candidate status in Berlin and met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, among others.

Zelenskyj: EU accession will decide the future of Europe

President Selenskyj firmly expects his country to gain EU candidate status within the next few weeks. “I mean, this will not only be a decision for Ukraine, but for the entire European project,” said the head of state in his daily video message. That will also decide whether the EU has a future or not, Zelenskyj said.