EU membership for Ukraine by 2027 is not ruled out, enlargement commissioner says

European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has said the current EU enlargement methodology was designed for peacetime and is in need of radical change.

Source: Kos speaking at the 9th Ukrainian Lunch organised by Victor Pinchuk Foundation on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kos said Ukraine has already "contributed positively to Europe" by forcing the EU to rethink its priorities and putting enlargement back on the agenda.

Quote: "Second, we know again how important security in Europe is. Perhaps we have forgotten."

More details: Kos acknowledged that under the EU's current legal framework, it is not possible to complete the tasks Ukraine has set for itself.

Quote: "The methodology we are using now is made for peace. It's made for times when we have really enough time that the country can do all the necessary reforms. Sweden, just as an example, was the most developed country applying for the EU membership, but even Sweden needed three years.

So, based on the present methodology, it's not possible by 1 January 2027. But we have to find the solution, how to bridge the gap between the merit-based principle and methodology which we use plus-minus for the last forty years, and the geopolitical challenges on the other side. We cannot wait anymore."

More details: Kos said discussions on this have already begun, but she did not go into detail.

She emphasised that Ukraine's EU accession should be seen not only as enlargement, but as a geopolitical necessity.

Quote: "It is unifying Europe, and it is for the first time ever we have the possibility, if we do it right, to do unification of Europe. And this is what is much, much bigger than just enlargement."

Read more about fast-tracked EU accession for Ukraine here: Bringing Ukraine into the EU by 2027: exploring the idea of "membership-lite" as part of a peace deal

Background:

• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said earlier in Munich that a fast-track agreement on EU accession is realistic. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has also said that agreeing on a specific date for Ukraine's EU accession is possible.
• A recent opinion poll showed that support among Ukrainians for joining the EU has risen sharply.

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