By the end of 2026, the EU may open more negotiating clusters on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, and the process will be based on our country’s merits, with no privileges.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said this in an interview with Corriere della Sera.
According to Kos, Europe is currently showing the greatest progress on enlargement in the past 25 years, with Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine leading among the candidates.
At the same time, the official noted that the target of Ukraine joining the EU on 1 January 2027, previously voiced by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is unrealistic. The accession process is based solely on the principle of merit and the implementation of reforms, Kos stressed.
“There are no privileges or discounts in the accession process, but we must take into account that Ukraine is fighting a war for survival, which is precisely why it is our duty to help it. I hope that as many clusters as possible will be opened by the end of the year,” the European Commissioner said.
The European Commission is also proposing a concept of gradual integration that would allow candidate countries to gain more benefits from cooperation with the EU even before formally obtaining full membership. At the October summit, the bloc’s leaders will discuss the impact of enlargement on the EU’s internal reforms, the protection of democratic standards and mechanisms for the gradual inclusion of new states.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU will soon propose “roadmaps” for candidate countries that have made the most progress.
- In the summer, Ireland’s Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, said that by the end of the year the EU aims to open all clusters of accession talks with Ukraine.