Ukraine expects political decision on EU membership in 2027, presidential office says
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Getty Images)
Kyiv expects EU countries to make a political decision on Ukraine’s membership in 2027, according to the press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Read also: Merz says Ukraine’s EU membership by 2027 is ruled out
Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva held a meeting with a delegation from the European Parliament Committee on Security and Defense (SEDE).
EU membership prospects
Zhovkva stressed that Ukraine is demonstrating a high pace of preparation for accession to the European Union. According to him, the country will be fully ready to open all negotiation clusters in the first half of this year.
"Ukraine’s membership in the European Union is the foundation of future security guarantees for Ukraine and for all of Europe. That is why we need a clear political decision on Ukraine’s membership as early as 2027," he said.
Air defense boost and the PURL initiative
During the meeting, Zhovkva said Ukraine needs additional missiles for its air defense systems to protect against Russian attacks. Special attention was given to the PURL initiative, under which Ukraine purchases missiles from the United States.
So far, 24 countries have joined the program, with total contributions reaching $5 billion.
At the same time, Ukraine’s funding needs under PURL for this year amount to $15 billion.
Defense cooperation and Ramstein meeting
The sides discussed preparations for the Ramstein meeting scheduled for February 12, as well as cooperation under the SAFE instrument. The funding available for potential joint projects amounts to approximately €5.2 billion.
Zhovkva proposed that partners increase the share of funding for joint production.
"We believe that the share of SAFE funds allocated to joint production should be at least 10% of each member state’s contribution. This will make it possible to fully unlock the potential of Ukraine’s defense industry and strengthen the defense capabilities of both Ukraine and the European Union," the Deputy Head of the Office of the President emphasized.
Ukraine’s EU accession in 2027
Earlier, the Financial Times reported that early drafts of a 20-point peace plan discussed with US mediation included 2027 as the target year for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
However, this provision is now being reconsidered due to a lack of consensus among all EU member states.
