German leader says Ukraine cannot join EU now. He offers a different plan.

Apr 24, 2026, 15:48
A2

German leader says Ukraine cannot join EU now. He offers a different plan.

Introduction

On April 24, German leader Friedrich Merz said Ukraine cannot join the European Union (EU) now. He offered a different idea. Ukraine can come to EU meetings but cannot vote. He said this after an EU meeting in Cyprus. Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky was at the meeting.

Main Body

Ukraine wants to join the EU quickly. It is fighting a war with Russia. Some EU countries are not sure about this. Hungary's leader Viktor Orban did not want Ukraine to join. But he lost an election. Now people think Ukraine can move forward. EU leaders want to start talks with Ukraine. But the EU does not want to give Ukraine full membership fast. So Merz said Ukraine can come to EU meetings but cannot vote. This is a temporary idea. Before the meeting, President Zelensky said no to this idea. He said Ukraine wants full membership. He said Ukraine fights for European values. He worried that a temporary plan will keep Ukraine waiting for a long time.

Conclusion

Ukraine wants full membership. The EU is careful. Merz's idea is a possible middle way. But Ukraine said no. The future depends on more talks and EU countries agreeing.

Vocabulary Learning

join (v.)
become a member of something加入
Example:Ukraine wants to join the EU.
leader (n.)
a person who leads a group領袖；領導人
Example:The German leader offered a different plan.
meeting (n.)
an event where people come together to discuss會議
Example:The EU meeting was in Cyprus.
temporary (adj.)
lasting for a limited time臨時的
Example:This is a temporary idea.
vote (v.)
to show your choice in an election or meeting投票
Example:Ukraine can come to meetings but cannot vote.

Sentence Learning

On April 24, German leader Friedrich Merz said Ukraine cannot join the European Union (EU) now.
Time Marker: This sentence uses the time marker 'On April 24' to specify when the statement was made.這個句子使用了時間標記『在4月24日』來指明該陳述發生的時間。
Ukraine can come to EU meetings but cannot vote.
Contrast Connector: The word 'but' connects two contrasting ideas: coming to meetings vs. not voting.詞語『但是』連接兩個對比的觀點：參加會議 vs. 不能投票。
Now people think Ukraine can move forward.
Time Marker: The word 'Now' indicates a change from the past to the present situation.詞語『現在』表示從過去到當前情況的變化。
Before the meeting, President Zelensky said no to this idea.
Time Marker - Prepositional Phrase: The phrase 'Before the meeting' provides the time context for Zelensky's rejection.短語『在會議之前』提供了澤連斯基拒絕的時間背景。
He said this after an EU meeting in Cyprus.
Time and Place Prepositional Phrases: This sentence uses 'after an EU meeting' (time) and 'in Cyprus' (place) to give context.這個句子使用了『在歐盟會議之後』（時間）和『在塞浦路斯』（地點）來提供背景。
B2

German Chancellor Merz Rules Out Immediate EU Accession for Ukraine, Proposes Non-Voting Participation in Council Meetings

Introduction

On April 24, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Ukraine's immediate accession to the European Union is not feasible, while suggesting an alternative arrangement involving non-voting attendance at EU council meetings. This statement was made following an EU summit in Cyprus attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Main Body

Ukraine is actively seeking to accelerate its membership process amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. The country's progress has been hindered by opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, though his recent electoral defeat has generated renewed optimism for advancement. EU leaders broadly support moving Ukraine forward by opening the first negotiating clusters. However, there is limited enthusiasm for a rapid full membership, leading to discussions of providing interim benefits. Merz's proposal for non-voting participation in European councils is one such interim measure. Prior to the Cyprus summit, President Zelensky explicitly rejected any form of symbolic or lesser membership status, asserting that Ukraine deserves full EU membership given its defense of common European values. He expressed concern that interim solutions could result in Ukraine remaining in a prolonged transitional state.

Conclusion

The current situation reflects a divergence between Ukraine's demand for full membership and the EU's cautious approach, with Merz's proposal representing a potential compromise that Ukraine has thus far rejected. The path forward remains contingent on further negotiations and the resolution of internal EU dynamics.

Vocabulary Learning

accession (n.)
joining / the act of becoming a member of an organization加入；正式成為成員
Example:Ukraine's immediate accession to the European Union is not feasible.
divergence (n.)
difference / a situation in which opinions or paths differ分歧；差異
Example:The current situation reflects a divergence between Ukraine's demand for full membership and the EU's cautious approach.
feasible (adj.)
possible / able to be achieved or done可行的；可實現的
Example:Ukraine's immediate accession to the European Union is not feasible.
hindered (v.)
impeded / made progress difficult阻礙；妨礙
Example:The country's progress has been hindered by opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
interim (adj.)
temporary / intended to be used for a short time until something permanent is arranged臨時的；過渡的
Example:Merz's proposal for non-voting participation in European councils is one such interim measure.

Sentence Learning

This statement was made following an EU summit in Cyprus attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Passive voice 'was made' shifts focus to the statement; reduced relative clause 'attended by' (which was attended by) adds concise detail about the summit.被動語態 'was made' 將焦點轉移到聲明上；簡化關係從句 'attended by'（即 which was attended by）簡潔地補充了峰會的細節。
The country's progress has been hindered by opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, though his recent electoral defeat has generated renewed optimism for advancement.
Passive voice 'has been hindered' emphasizes the action over the agent; linking word 'though' introduces a contrast between the hindrance and the new optimism.被動語態 'has been hindered' 強調動作而非施事者；連接詞 'though' 引入阻礙與新樂觀之間的對比。
However, there is limited enthusiasm for a rapid full membership, leading to discussions of providing interim benefits.
Linking word 'However' signals a contrast with the previous idea; present participle phrase 'leading to' shows the direct result of limited enthusiasm.連接詞 'However' 表示與前文觀點的對比；現在分詞短語 'leading to' 顯示有限熱情導致的直接結果。
Prior to the Cyprus summit, President Zelensky explicitly rejected any form of symbolic or lesser membership status, asserting that Ukraine deserves full EU membership given its defense of common European values.
Present participle phrase 'asserting that' adds explanatory detail about the rejection; preposition 'given' introduces the reason (defense of values) for deserving full membership.現在分詞短語 'asserting that' 補充解釋拒絕的內容；介詞 'given' 引入理由（捍衛價值觀）來說明為何值得正式成員資格。
The current situation reflects a divergence between Ukraine's demand for full membership and the EU's cautious approach, with Merz's proposal representing a potential compromise that Ukraine has thus far rejected.
Relative clause 'that Ukraine has thus far rejected' defines the compromise; 'with ... representing' structure shows the proposal as an accompanying element that exemplifies the divergence.關係從句 'that Ukraine has thus far rejected' 界定妥協方案；'with ... representing' 結構顯示提案作為伴隨元素，體現了分歧。
C2

German Chancellor Merz Rules Out Immediate EU Accession for Ukraine, Proposes Non-Voting Participation in Council Meetings

Introduction

On April 24, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Ukraine's immediate accession to the European Union is not feasible, while suggesting an alternative arrangement involving non-voting attendance at EU council meetings. This statement was made following an EU summit in Cyprus attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Main Body

Ukraine is actively seeking to accelerate its membership process amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. The country's progress has been hindered by opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, though his recent electoral defeat has generated renewed optimism for advancement. EU leaders broadly support moving Ukraine forward by opening the first negotiating clusters. However, there is limited enthusiasm for a rapid full membership, leading to discussions of providing interim benefits. Merz's proposal for non-voting participation in European councils is one such interim measure. Prior to the Cyprus summit, President Zelensky explicitly rejected any form of symbolic or lesser membership status, asserting that Ukraine deserves full EU membership given its defense of common European values. He expressed concern that interim solutions could result in Ukraine remaining in a prolonged transitional state.

Conclusion

The current situation reflects a divergence between Ukraine's demand for full membership and the EU's cautious approach, with Merz's proposal representing a potential compromise that Ukraine has thus far rejected. The path forward remains contingent on further negotiations and the resolution of internal EU dynamics.

Vocabulary Learning

contingent (adj.)
dependent on something else; conditional取決於；視…而定
Example:The path forward remains contingent on further negotiations and internal EU dynamics.
divergence (n.)
a difference in opinions, interests, or paths分歧；差異
Example:There is a clear divergence between Ukraine's demand for full membership and the EU's cautious approach.
feasible (adj.)
possible and practical to achieve可行的
Example:The German Chancellor stated that immediate EU accession for Ukraine is not feasible at this time.
hindered (v.)
made difficult or slowed down阻礙；妨礙
Example:Ukraine's progress toward membership has been hindered by opposition from Hungary.
interim (adj.)
temporary or provisional, intended to be used for a short time only臨時的；過渡的
Example:Merz proposed non-voting participation in EU councils as an interim measure.

Sentence Learning

On April 24, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Ukraine's immediate accession to the European Union is not feasible, while suggesting an alternative arrangement involving non-voting attendance at EU council meetings.
Reduced Adverbial Clause & Reduced Relative Clause: The sentence uses a reduced adverbial clause "while suggesting..." which omits the subject and auxiliary verb, condensing the idea of simultaneity. Additionally, "involving non-voting attendance" is a reduced relative clause modifying "arrangement". This creates a dense, formal structure.縮減狀語從句及縮減關係從句：句子使用縮減狀語從句「while suggesting...」，省略主語和助動詞，濃縮了同時性的概念。此外，「involving non-voting attendance」是修飾「arrangement」的縮減關係從句，形成緊湊正式的結構。
This statement was made following an EU summit in Cyprus attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Passive Voice & Reduced Relative Clause: The passive construction "was made" shifts focus from the agent to the action. The reduced relative clause "attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky" modifies "summit", omitting "which was". This combination is typical of formal reporting.被動語態及縮減關係從句：被動結構「was made」將焦點從施動者轉移到動作本身。縮減關係從句「attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky」修飾「summit」，省略了「which was」。這種組合常見於正式報導。
The country's progress has been hindered by opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, though his recent electoral defeat has generated renewed optimism for advancement.
Passive Voice & Concessive Clause: The passive "has been hindered by" emphasizes the obstacle. The concessive clause "though his recent electoral defeat has generated..." introduces a contrasting point, adding nuance. The use of "though" (subordinating conjunction) creates a complex sentence.被動語態及讓步從句：被動語態「has been hindered by」強調障礙。讓步從句「though his recent electoral defeat has generated...」引入對比觀點，增加細微差別。使用「though」（從屬連詞）構成複雜句。
Prior to the Cyprus summit, President Zelensky explicitly rejected any form of symbolic or lesser membership status, asserting that Ukraine deserves full EU membership given its defense of common European values.
Participial Phrase & Nominalization: The participial phrase "asserting that..." provides additional information about the subject's action without a separate clause. "Given its defense" uses nominalization ("defense" as a noun) to compress the reason. This increases lexical density.分詞短語及名詞化：分詞短語「asserting that...」提供關於主語動作的附加信息，無需獨立從句。「Given its defense」使用名詞化（「defense」作名詞）壓縮原因，增加詞彙密度。
The current situation reflects a divergence between Ukraine's demand for full membership and the EU's cautious approach, with Merz's proposal representing a potential compromise that Ukraine has thus far rejected.
Absolute Construction & Relative Clause: The absolute construction "with Merz's proposal representing..." uses a noun + present participle to add a descriptive circumstance. The relative clause "that Ukraine has thus far rejected" modifies "compromise". This structure is sophisticated and formal.獨立主格結構及關係從句：獨立主格結構「with Merz's proposal representing...」使用名詞加現在分詞添加描述性情況。關係從句「that Ukraine has thus far rejected」修飾「compromise」。此結構精緻且正式。