German Chancellor Friedrich Merz assured Volodymyr Zelensky that Berlin will continue to support Ukraine’s path to the EU, despite the fact that membership is still in sight.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday assured Ukraine of Germany’s continued support on its path to membership in the European Union. “Germany supports this goal, although we both know that we cannot fully realize it in the short term,” Merz said in Berlin during government consultations, which were also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. TASR informs about it based on the report of the DPA agency.
The head of the German government pointed out that Ukraine’s accession “would be a strategically important step towards greater security and well-being in Europe”, calling on Kyiv to push for reforms even more decisively, especially in the areas of fighting corruption and upholding the rule of law.
Blocked EU loan
At the joint press conference, they also touched on the election victory of Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar. In this context, the German chancellor spoke out for the quick release of the European Union loan to Ukraine in the amount of 90 billion euros, which Hungary had blocked until now.
“Funds for military support must now be disbursed quickly,” Merz said. He underlined that Ukraine urgently needs this money because it will allow it to finance its defense in the long term, and “Russia should take it seriously,” he added.
Repair of the Druzhba oil pipeline
Magyar’s victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Hungary raised hopes that the EU loan for Ukraine could be released soon, DPA recalled. “As for the oil pipeline (Druzhba), as we promised, it will be repaired by the end of April. Not completely, but enough to make it work,” Zelenskyy declared in Berlin.
