Ukraine's bid to join the EU cannot be sped up despite the current crisis, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday, adding that the bloc must find a 'fast and pragmatic' way to help Kyiv.

"There are no shortcuts on the way to the EU," Scholz said, adding that an exception for Ukraine would be unfair to the Western Balkan countries also seeking membership. "The accession process is not a matter of a few months or years," he said.