00:00German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz suggested that Ukraine may have to cede territory to Russia to pave the way for EU
00:07membership.
00:08Speaking to students at a high school in the western German town of Marsburg,
00:13Mertz said that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky would have to hold a referendum for the people to decide on both
00:19EU and concession matters.
00:22Russia presently occupies just over 20% of Ukrainian land, mainly in the eastern industrial Donbass region.
00:30Mertz added that the decision can only be made by the Ukrainian people, stressing that it's crucial to hand power
00:36back to them.
01:00Kiev's EU accession progress has been blocked by Hungary's nationalist and outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban for the last two
01:07years.
01:08His recent landslide defeat to incoming Peter Magyar has raised hopes for the country to move on to the next
01:13steps of its membership bid.
01:16Mertz warned against raising hopes for quick accession into the bloc,
01:19stressing that Ukraine's integration is contingent upon peace and reforms to the rule of law and fighting corruption.
01:26The German leader also added that Zelensky's proposed membership date of the 1st of January next year is not realistic
01:33and went as far as to say that even the 1st of January, 2028, may still not be enough time
01:39to realize the needed reforms.
01:41Kiev currently holds the status of an official EU candidate country, which it has held since June 2022.
01:47Kiev.
01:47Kiev.
01:50Kiev.
01:50Kiev.
01:51Kiev.
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