EU believes Ukraine cannot join bloc before 2027 – Reuters
Photo: The EU considers Ukraine’s accession to the bloc before 2027 to be "absolutely impossible" (Getty Images)
Ukraine’s accession to the EU by 2027, which media reports say is currently being discussed by Europe, Kyiv, and the United States, would be "extremely difficult" to achieve, according to Reuters.
The outlet recalls that the Financial Times reported Ukraine could join the EU by January 1, 2027, under proposals being discussed in US-mediated talks on ending the war.
Reuters notes that, beyond the fact that accession negotiations typically take many years, there are more specific obstacles that would prevent Ukraine from joining the bloc by 2027.
A European diplomat familiar with the plan said Ukraine’s accession to the EU by 2027 would be extremely difficult, adding that it remains unclear whether EU leadership supports such a timeline.
Several other European officials and diplomats described the proposed date as absolutely unrealistic.
Ukraine's path to EU
Ukraine’s EU accession is being discussed by European countries, the United States, and Kyiv in the context of future security guarantees. The Financial Times reported that, in this regard, Ukraine’s accession to the bloc was being considered under an accelerated timeline, potentially by 2027.
However, numerous obstacles remain. Ukraine has not yet officially completed a single one of the 36 accession chapters, while the EU admits new members only after all chapters are concluded. Including EU accession as part of a peace agreement would therefore force Brussels to overhaul its entire system.
Previous efforts to advance Ukraine’s EU membership have repeatedly been blocked by Hungary, which is known for its opposition to certain EU decisions and its supportive stance toward Moscow.
Against this backdrop, the EU has begun considering the possibility of adopting such decisions by a majority vote of member states to bypass a potential veto by Budapest.
