EU says no shortcut to Ukraine reforms amid 2027 membership speculation
A top EU official said there is no shortcut to Ukraine carrying out reforms, amid speculation over Kyiv's accelerated entry to the European Union as soon as next year.
"Let's have this discussion, with one baseline — full membership comes only after full reforms," Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, said on Feb. 13 in Tallinn.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the end of January that the country would be ready to join the bloc by 2027, and membership of the EU would serve as an economic security guarantee in the event of an eventual peace deal with Russia.
Reports have since emerged that the EU is exploring a membership plan for Ukraine that would allow the country to join before completing all the necessary reforms required as part of the so-called accession process.
But some national leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have pushed back on the speedy timeline.
In a speech highlighting the tensions between a fast moving and hostile geopolitical environment, and the lethargic pace of the EU, Kos said she was "glad" that debate around new models of membership was taking place, and appeared to leave the door open to a more flexible approach to membership.
"We need to reach citizens in our candidate countries much faster and more directly, by rewarding those who deliver on reforms and alignment with EU rules with faster integration into EU policies and structures," she said.
Her speech comes as Ukraine's parliament fails to vote through unpopular reforms required to unlock a new International Monetary Fund program — a necessary condition for receiving a 90 billion euros ($107 billion) lifeline from the EU.
One senior European Commission official, speaking to the Kyiv Independent this week on the condition of anonymity, expressed concern over Ukraine's weakened appetite to pursue reforms in recent months, saying it would undermine both European support for the country's membership and future private sector investment in the country.
Ukraine's record on aligning with the EU was tarnished last summer when Zelensky moved to strip the country's anti-corruption agencies of their independence. Although he backtracked after a fiery reaction from civil society, the episode looms large in the minds of EU policymakers.
Kos outlined five crucial "ingredients of success" for any future accession process, including safeguards to prevent democratic backsliding.
Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in 2022. The country completed the legislative screening process last year, and has advocated for a fast-track accession amid ongoing peace talks with Moscow, arguing that EU membership is essential for post-war recovery and security.
However, Hungary continues to block the opening of "accession clusters," the next stage in the protracted process of joining the bloc.
