<div class="cs-entry__header cs-entry__header-simple cs-video-wrap"> <div class="cs-entry__header-inner"> <div class="cs-entry__header-info"> <h1 class="cs-entry__title"><span>Future Chancellor of Germany: Ukraine can become EU member only after war</span></h1> <div class="cs-entry__subtitle"> In his first major foreign policy statement since securing a coalition agreement, Friedrich Merz declared that Ukraine’s path to European institutions requires an end to hostilities. </div> <div class="cs-entry__post-meta"><div class="cs-meta-author"><a class="cs-meta-author-inner url fn n" href="https://euromaidanpress.com/author/mariatril/" title="View all posts by Maria Tril"><span class="cs-photo"></span><span class="cs-by">by</span><span class="cs-author">Maria Tril</span></a></div><div class="cs-meta-date">13/04/2025</div><div class="cs-meta-reading-time"><span class="cs-meta-icon"><i class="cs-icon cs-icon-clock"></i></span>3 minute read</div></div> </div> <figure class="cs-entry__post-media post-media"> <img width="100%" height="auto" src="https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/d998b8b08a502cd07fa476a509ee9bc7.jpeg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Friedrich Merz, Chairman and candidate for chancellor of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), speaks at the party's headquarters, the Konrad Adenauer House, after the forecast of the German federal election for the 21st Bundestag. Michael Kappeler/dpa" style="max-width: 100%" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/d998b8b08a502cd07fa476a509ee9bc7.jpeg 800w, https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/d998b8b08a502cd07fa476a509ee9bc7-300x167.jpeg 300w, https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/d998b8b08a502cd07fa476a509ee9bc7-380x211.jpeg 380w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"> </figure> <figcaption class="cs-entry__caption-text wp-caption-text"> Friedrich Merz, Chairman and candidate for chancellor of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), speaks at the party’s headquarters, the Konrad Adenauer House, after the forecast of the German federal election for the 21st Bundestag. Michael Kappeler/dpa </figcaption> </div> </div> <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/04/13/future-chancellor-of-germany-ukraine-can-become-eu-member-only-after-war/">Future Chancellor of Germany: Ukraine can become EU member only after war</a> <div class="cs-entry__wrap"> <div class="cs-entry__container"> <div class="cs-entry__content-wrap"> <div class="entry-content"> <p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">The future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has stated that Ukraine cannot join NATO or the European Union while the country remains at war with Russia, Handelsblatt reported on 12 April.</p>
<blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words"><em>“Ukraine is a very large European country, but it is a European country that is in a state of war,”</em> Merz <a href="https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/friedrich-merz-trump-erhoeht-das-risiko-dass-die-naechste-finanzkrise-schneller-kommt-als-erwartet/100120693.html" target="_blank">said</a> in an interview with the German publication.</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">He also said that a country engaged in active war cannot become a member of NATO or the European Union.</p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">Merz clarified that the promise of EU membership remains valid, as does the prospect of joining NATO. <em>“But for both of these events to take place, the war must first end,”</em> he said.</p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">On 9 April 9, the conservative leader presented what he called a “strong plan” for Germany’s path forward. He announced the formation of a coalition government that will lead the country for the next four years in partnership with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).</p><div class="code-block code-block-17">
  
 </div> <p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">The CDU/CSU bloc won the Bundestag elections in February. The Social Democrats came in third place. Together, these two forces hold a majority in the Bundestag and did not need to involve other parties in cabinet negotiations.</p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">The Greens will remain in opposition, along with the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany and the Left Party.</p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">The new cabinet is expected to continue its policy of supporting Ukraine. Defense spending will also increase. Other political priorities of the future government will be outlined in the coalition agreement.</p>
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In his first major foreign policy statement since securing a coalition agreement, Friedrich Merz declared that Ukraine's path to European institutions requires an end to hostilities.{ai:summary}<p>Friedrich Merz, the future Chancellor of Germany, stated that Ukraine can only join NATO and the EU after the ongoing war with Russia concludes. He emphasized that a country in active conflict cannot be considered for membership in these institutions.</p><p>Merz reaffirmed the commitment to Ukraine's eventual EU and NATO membership but stressed the necessity of ending hostilities first. His coalition government is expected to maintain support for Ukraine and increase defense spending. #foreignaffairs</p>