Ukraine does not demand EU accession 'in advance', chief negotiator says
Photo: Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach / RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine has never insisted on joining the European Union without meeting all the requirements. Kyiv is interested in full membership, not merely formal accession to the EU, says Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.
Read also: EU wants to change 40-year accession rules for Ukraine - European Commission statement
According to him, Ukraine does not support the idea of joining the EU "in advance" or without meeting the necessary criteria.
Kachka notes Ukraine has never advocated for joining the European Union ‘in advance’ or without meeting all the requirements. That makes no sense, he adds.
He explains that formal membership without fulfilling the conditions would not provide the country with any real benefits.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasizes that there was no point in joining if Ukraine did not take all the necessary steps, because Ukraine would not be able to fully utilize EU financial instruments and would be isolated. He adds that nominally, Ukraine could be considered a member state, but that this would give nothing either to citizens or to business
When Ukraine might sign accession agreement
Kachka suggested that Ukraine’s EU accession agreement could theoretically be signed even before all requirements are fully met.
According to him, such a step is possible around 2027.
"In 2027, we can sign an agreement. The signed agreement will not yet enter into force. This will happen after 27 ratifications by member states of the European Union," he explains.
At the same time, the ratification process could take quite a long time. Ukraine hopes it will be as quick as possible.
"Nevertheless, we signed the agreement, and we continue fulfilling what we have not yet completed," Kachka emphasizes.
Key condition for accession
Responding to a question about what percentage of requirements must be met to sign the EU accession agreement, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that progress in the area of the rule of law is the key factor.
Kachka explains that if Ukraine makes significant progress on the rule of law, the remaining requirements will be more technical.
Ukraine's Accession to EU
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine expected to join the European Union in 2027.
However, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that any country seeking to join the EU must first meet the Copenhagen criteria. According to him, this process usually takes several years.
Merz emphasized that Ukraine needs a roadmap that paves the way for accession in the long term; joining on January 1 of next year, he said, is unrealistic.
