"If Ukraine ever joins the EU, we will be doomed to bankruptcy and, perhaps, the dissolution of the EU within a few years. Ukraine's accession would be the end of the union," Niemeyer said, adding that EU membership for Ukraine is "unthinkable."
However, Ukraine could be granted some kind of interim status, thus pushing it to continue the reforms required by the EU, the politician said, referring to the example of Switzerland and Norway, which have access to the EU market and the Schengen area without joining the union.
"There are many options for what Ukraine's future might look like after the conflict. But, of course, we must wait until we know what is actually being discussed at the negotiations," Niemeyer added.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic suggested that Ukraine's entry to the EU from early 2027 is part of a settlement plan in the current negotiations and that this point would not be supported by a number of European countries. Polish President Karol Nawrocki called Zelensky's desire to join the EU by 2027 "hard to achieve."