No consensus in EU on Ukraine's 2027 membership — Reuters
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
There is currently no consensus in the European Union on when Ukraine might join the bloc. EU governments are not prepared to provide a clear timeline, despite repeated calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Reuters reported, citing the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy chief Kaja Kallas.
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"My feeling is that the member states are not ready to give a concrete date. There's a lot of work to be done," Kallas said.
According to media reports, the date included in the 20-point peace plan proposed by the United States—January 1, 2027—is considered unrealistic by most EU governments, as is any other fixed date.
They argue that EU accession is a merit-based process, which progresses only when a candidate country's legislation aligns with EU standards.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics supports Kallas's position but is highly skeptical about a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. He noted that while the EU "has been creative" when needed, many other countries are also seeking membership.
"Yes, we understand that we need Ukraine in the European Union and, yes, when talking with many heads of state, I get the feeling there is no readiness to accept a date. Like it or not, this is closely linked to a peace agreement. Will there be a peace deal or not? I don't see Russia moving, and if Russia doesn't move, we won't have an agreement," he said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also called accelerated accession "out of the question" and "impossible." Other voices in the EU oppose fast-tracking Ukraine's membership as well.
On February 14, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos noted that, under the current methodology, Ukraine will not be able to join the EU by 2027. For this reason, Brussels is considering a "geopolitical approach" to potentially speed up the process.
