EU weighs two-step Ukraine accession with limited rights — FT

According to the agency's sources, the European Commission is preparing preliminary proposals that envisage a departure from the current EU accession procedure, which has been in place since the early 1990s.

The new model could give Ukraine formal membership without full voting rights at leaders' summits and ministerial meetings.

At the same time, Kyiv would receive gradual access to the EU single market, agricultural subsidies, and development funds after completing certain stages following accession.

The Financial Times notes that the discussion is taking place against the backdrop of possible peace talks to end Russia's war against Ukraine. The draft 20-point peace plan, which is being prepared with the participation of the US, mentions Ukraine's potential accession to the EU in 2027, although the European Commission itself estimates that full compliance with the membership criteria may require up to ten years of reforms.

Brussels recognizes that for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the prospect of EU membership is a key argument for accepting difficult compromises within the framework of a possible peace agreement.

At the same time, the idea of easier accession is causing serious concern among member states and candidate countries.

Diplomats fear that a two-tier model could undermine the principle of meritocratic enlargement, create different categories of membership, and cause tension with candidates such as Montenegro and Albania, which are further along in the negotiations.

Ukraine's accession to EU

In early November 2025, the European Commission published a report as part of the EU Enlargement Package, in which it highly praised Ukraine's progress in reforms, giving it one of the best ratings.

At the same time, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos announced that the European Commission is working to open negotiation clusters on Ukraine and Moldova's accession to the European Union by the end of November.

The only reason why the clusters are still not open is the position of pro-Russian Hungary, which is blocking Ukraine's accession to the EU.

The European Commission expects negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU to continue at the working group level, despite the lack of unanimous support from all member states. In this context, Hungary's veto will not affect the overall decision.

At the same time, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka noted that it is quite realistic for Ukraine to complete negotiations on EU accession as early as 2028. According to the European Commission's assessment, the pace of reforms allows this to be done.

In addition, the US peace plan provides for Ukraine's accelerated accession to the EU by 2027 at the latest. Washington is confident that it will be able to break the resistance of Hungary and other countries that will try to oppose Ukraine's accession to the bloc.

But there are certain issues. For example, according to Reuters, the EU believes that Ukraine's accession to the bloc is impossible before 2027. Ukraine has not yet officially completed even one of the 36 stages of EU accession.

European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier told RBC-Ukraine in early December 2025 that the timing of Ukraine's accession to the EU depends on the implementation of reforms. At the same time, the Ukrainian government has announced its intention to complete accession negotiations by the end of 2028.

At the same time, Kachka recently stated that not only the US government but also the American financial market believes that the timing of Ukraine's accession to the EU can be significantly accelerated. Therefore, 2027 as the date of accession is becoming increasingly realistic.