EU Commissioner: Wartime realities require changes to EU enlargement policy
Photo: EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos (Getty Images)
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union by January 1, 2027, is an ambitious but understandable goal, she made this remark during the discussion Culture and identity of Ukraine in wartime and their significance for Europe.
EU names possible date for Ukraine’s accession
According to Marta Kos, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees Ukraine joining the EU at the beginning of 2027.
According to her, President Zelenskyy's target date is January 1, 2027. She added that if it were up to her, she would remain in her position until that date to make it a reality.
The European Commissioner emphasized that the current EU enlargement methodology was designed for peacetime and does not take wartime conditions into account.
"It takes a lot of time, and Ukraine and Europe is not having this time. That's why we are thinking now how to change it," Kos said.
She also noted that Ukraine is a special case because it continues implementing reforms even during the war.
Why the decision depends on all EU countries
Marta Kos stressed that advancing Ukraine toward membership requires the support of all 27 EU member states.
"We have to persuade all the EU 27. But the perception (of) how dangerous Russia is for us Europeans, it's very different," she explained.
As an example, she cited polling results: in Poland, 77% of respondents believe that Russia could attack their country, while in Italy, 70% said there is no such risk.
Accession date in question
Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv seeks a clear date for EU accession, emphasizing the need for clarity on this issue.
At the same time, it became known that the European Union is considering several options for incorporating Ukraine’s membership perspective into a future peace agreement. In particular, this involves a possible phased process with the provision of preliminary security guarantees to Kyiv.
In addition, it was previously reported in Ukraine that a 2027 EU accession date appeared in the US peace plan; however, this provision is currently being reconsidered due to objections from certain EU member states.
