Ukraine's EU membership by 2027 not possible: Commissioner names reason
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos (photo: facebook.com.marta.kosmarko)
Ukraine cannot become a European Union member by January 1, 2027, under the current accession methodology, but Brussels is considering a "geopolitical approach" to speed up the process, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said at the Munich Ukrainian Lunch organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.
EU Commission stance on timelines
Marta Kos emphasized that the current accession rules, in place for decades, do not allow Ukraine to join the EU within the next two years. At the same time, she stressed the need to explore new solutions.
"Based on the present methodology, it's not possible on January 1, 2027. But we have to find the solution how to bridge the gap between the merit base, the principle, and methodology, which we use plus minus for the last forty years, and the geopolitical challenges on the other side," Kos said.
She added that the matter goes beyond the usual enlargement procedure.
"Bringing Ukraine into the European Union is not enlargement—it is unifying Europe. And it is for the first time ever, we have the possibility, if we do it right, to do unification of Europe. And this is what is much bigger than just enlargement," the Commissioner noted.
Big bang and risks for EU
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković pointed out that the standard accession path requires approval of every step by all member states, which is a lengthy process. However, he said a faster approach is possible if there is political will.
"A swift approach is possible, but that would require the political decision to say: everything we did so far was the past, what we should do now is a geopolitical approach and create a Big Bang," Plenković explained.
At the same time, he cautioned about potential risks, especially given the size of Ukraine's economy and agricultural sector.
"All this can be done in a creative way, but I'm signaling that this is extremely difficult and delicate process, which cannot be taken for granted if it's only floated in a media or even put in some initial papers on negotiations. This must not create huge disbalance in the current functioning of the Union," Croatian prime minister added.
Accession date in question
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously stated that Ukraine seeks a concrete accession date, emphasizing that the country deserves clarity in the process.
The EU is reportedly preparing several options for including Ukraine's membership in a future peace agreement. This could involve a gradual approach and preliminary protections for Kyiv.
In addition, Ukrainian officials noted that a US-backed peace plan initially included a 2027 EU accession date. However, this provision is now under review due to objections from some EU member states.
