Merz Outlined Worst-Case Scenarios for Moldova and Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has outlined two main negative scenarios for Ukraine and Moldova: the threat of direct military aggression following a Ukrainian defeat, and a significant slowdown or change in the format of their European integration. Discussions on the paths to gradual integration into the EU for Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkan countries are still ongoing within the European Commission – even after the opening of the sixth negotiation cluster, reports logos-pres.md. Mertz outlined two options – a bad one and a very bad one: “non-voting” EU membership or no membership at all. “My aim is to open up a concrete prospect of accession to the European Union for Moldova, Ukraine and the Western Balkan states right now. We have not admitted any new members to the EU for 13 years, even though we have promised membership to a number of European countries. There are now two options. Either we renege on these promises – and that is impossible. In my view, that would be the worst possible decision for everyone. Or we acknowledge that the process takes time. It is complex, but we must continue to move forward step by step and take the next stage – granting this form of associate membership. It could be called something else, but we are talking about membership of the European Union without the right to vote in its institutions, yet with such close integration with the EU that full membership would then become the next logical step,” he said. The German Chancellor set out these points during his traditional summer press conference in Berlin, held before the Bundestag went into its parliamentary recess.