Ukraine must recognize the loss of territories upon joining the EU, said German Chancellor Merz

The Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz on Monday, April 27 2026, said that Ukraine may have to accept that part of its territories will remain outside Kyiv’s control as part of a future peace agreement with Russia. This was reported by the agency Reuters.

Friedrich Merz made his statement during a meeting with students of the Carolus-Magnus gymnasium in the town of Marsberg, in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. He effectively linked possible territorial concessions to the prospect of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

Speaking about a possible scenario for ending the war, the Chancellor of Germany suggested that after a future ceasefire and a peace treaty with Russia part of Ukrainian territory may remain outside the control of Ukraine.

“Someday Ukraine will sign a ceasefire agreement; I hope at some point a peace treaty with Russia. Then, perhaps, part of Ukraine’s territory will no longer be Ukrainian,” said Friedrich Merz.

According to the chancellor, if President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to explain such terms to Ukrainian society and gain majority support, he may have to hold a referendum. At the same time Merz believes that Ukrainians in that case will need to be shown a concrete political perspective – a path to Europe.

“If President Zelensky wants to convey this to his own people and gain a majority, and he needs to hold a referendum on this, then he must at the same time tell people: ‘I have opened the way to Europe’,” added the chancellor of Germany.

Separately, Friedrich Merz cooled expectations about a rapid accession of Ukraine to the EU. He said that joining the bloc during the war is impossible, and Kyiv must meet strict criteria, including on the rule of law and the fight against corruption.

“Zelensky had the idea of joining the EU on January 1, 2027. That will not work. Even January 1, 2028 is unrealistic,” said Friedrich Merz.

At the same time he proposed interim steps for Ukraine, including participation in the work of certain EU institutions in the status of an observer. According to him, this idea received broad support among European leaders during the summit in Cyprus, where Volodymyr Zelensky was present. Merz’s statement came against the backdrop of the fact that the issue of Ukraine’s accession to the EU remains politically blocked and complicated. According to Reuters, earlier the key obstacle was the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, who was blocking Kyiv’s progress in the European direction. Last week the European Union approved a loan for Ukraine of 90 billion euros, which is meant to cover most of the country’s needs until 2027, however there is still no unity within the bloc regarding the pace of talks on Ukraine’s membership.

For Ukrainians such statements are especially painful, because this is not about abstract diplomatic formulas, but about occupied territories, people under Russian control, deportations, destroyed cities and the price that Ukraine pays every day in the war against Russian aggression.

Reminder, earlier we wrote:

• We didn’t attack, but must we make concessions? Zelensky on the strange logic of negotiations
• Trump accused Zelensky of unwillingness to make peace
• Joining the EU in 2027: without waiting decades. What Brussels has planned for Kyiv
• The US may send troops to ensure peace in Ukraine
• A Korean scenario for Ukraine? The West pressures, Zelensky resists — what is being prepared for us