Lithuania to fast-track remaining EU accession clusters for Ukraine
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda (center) (photo: t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Lithuania will use every opportunity during its EU Council presidency to speed up the opening of the remaining negotiating clusters for Ukraine. At the same time, Kyiv will have to fulfill its own commitments, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said during the Ukraine-Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) summit in Kyiv.
Lithuania will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union starting January 1, 2027. According to President Nausėda, the country will seize every opportunity to accelerate the opening of the remaining negotiating clusters for Ukraine.
"We have opened two of the six so far, and I think it won't be too long before the remaining clusters are opened," the Lithuanian president said.
What Ukraine needs to do
Nausėda emphasized that Ukraine must also fulfill its commitments. He noted that it is important to demonstrate this to all EU member states, as not all of them are as enthusiastic about enlargement as Lithuania.
"And for the skeptics, for those who have doubts, it is important to show that there really is progress in implementing reforms in the country, that there is a common understanding of reforms among the political elite and society," he said.
The Lithuanian president added that action is needed as quickly as possible because time is running out, and it is a very valuable resource right now.
Nausėda stressed that his country will always stand by Ukraine, support it, and encourage it to do more, because this approach is based on merit.
As previously reported, Ukraine has currently opened two of the six negotiating clusters on its path to EU membership. The first cluster, Fundamentals, was opened in June 2026.
