Netherlands opposes fast-tracking Ukraine's EU membership
Photo: Netherlands opposes fast-tracking Ukraine's EU membership (Getty Images)
The Netherlands does not support fast-tracking Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and insists on maintaining the principle of unanimity in EU decision-making. Dutch officials argue that any change to the existing rules would require the consent of all member states, according to DW and Trouw.nl.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof stated after an EU leaders’ meeting in Copenhagen that his country does not support European Council President António Costa’s proposal to accelerate Ukraine’s EU accession by replacing unanimity with qualified majority voting.
"The future of Moldova and Ukraine lies in the EU, but changing the rules is not the right path forward," Schoof stressed.
Preserving veto power
The Netherlands firmly opposes giving up the national veto, even if doing so would prioritize Ukraine’s membership. Schoof emphasized that his government continues to adhere to the Copenhagen criteria, which require unanimous approval for key EU decisions.
He added that any institutional reform must be approved by all member states, noting that while he respects Costa’s initiative, the real way forward is to increase pressure on Hungary, which continues to block negotiations.
Arguments and dialogue with Ukraine
"In President Zelenskyy’s eyes, every delay makes the European Union seem a bit more distant," Schoof said. He added that he had already discussed this position with the Ukrainian leader and plans to do so again in the near future.
Ukraine's progress
Ukraine has completed the final stage of screening its legislation for compliance with EU standards — a process that lasted 15 months, one of the fastest among candidate countries.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko urged the European Commission to expedite the preparation of technical documents for accession, noting that €16.5 billion in EU financial support is expected in 2025.
Hungary, meanwhile, continues to uphold its long-standing opposition to Ukraine’s EU membership, regardless of Russia’s stance.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has arrived in Ukraine to assess the alignment of national legislation with EU standards, marking a preparatory step toward opening negotiation clusters for the country’s accession to the Union.
