German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has signaled a shift toward a “strategic gradual rapprochement” for Ukraine’s integration into the EU , emphasizing that while full membership is the ultimate goal, immediate entry is not currently feasible, DW reported. Speaking in Nicosia on Friday, April 24, following an informal meeting of EU heads of state, Merz proposed a model where Ukraine could participate in European Council meetings without voting rights and gradually join specific policy areas based