NICOSIA, April 24. /TASS/. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called immediate accession of Ukraine to the European Union impossible, while supporting closer cooperation with Kiev within EU institutions.

"Everyone understands that Ukraine’s immediate accession to the EU is, of course, impossible," he said at a press conference following the informal EU summit in Nicosia, broadcast by NTV.

Merz said he wanted to achieve "closer involvement [of Ukraine] in the work of European institutions." As an example, he cited Vladimir Zelensky’s participation in EU summits, but without granting Kiev voting rights.