Germany Pitches Interim EU Status for Ukraine; Kyiv Boosts Drone Defense

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed an "associate member" status for Ukraine within the European Union, suggesting it could participate in meetings without voting rights as an interim step towards full membership. Merz reportedly sent a letter to EU leaders, also advocating for a special task force to develop this new status. The European Commission confirmed receipt of Merz's proposal, with spokesperson Guillaume Mercier stating that any integration path must be based on a country's individual merits. Concurrently, Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced that Ukrainian manufacturers are increasing production of cost-effective missiles designed to intercept Shahed drones. He also noted a doubling in the effectiveness of interceptor drones against Shaheds over the past four months, despite an increase in Russian drone launches. Sources: Forbes Ukraine, Українська правда